My life is going to be exactly like this movie.
I am the 2012 University of Otago Mozart Fellow.
The Division of Humanities phoned me at work nearly four weeks ago to tell me the news – that phone call is what I like to call “The Ring of the Fellowship”. I’ve kept it secret (from most people) since then, although someone actually managed to guess the truth last night.
The University Council this afternoon approved the appointment of me and three other Fellows – poet & novelist Emma Neale; artist Nick Austin and children’s writer & poet James Norcliffe (media release).
To all the people who I’ve told “I’m going overseas next year”, I didn’t lie to you. The South Island is, strictly speaking, overseas.
What does holding the Mozart Fellowship mean?
- I am currently seriously stoked.
- From 1 February 2012 to 31 January 2013, I will be a composer on a salary.
- I will live in Dunedin, New Zealand and be attached to the University of Otago Department of Music.
- My responsibilities are to compose, create new art, and generally hang out in Dunedin and be awesome.
The current Fellow is a good fellow, Chris Adams. He and I are both graduates of the University of Auckland School of Music, and our works have often been featured in the same concerts (like the one at 9pm on Tuesday next week.) Since nobody may hold the Fellowship for more than two years, he has to move on. This means I can move on in.
I’ve got two announcements to make:
I will be in Dunedin from Wed 19 to Fri 21 October. My priority on this trip is finding a place to live, but I’ll have time to do other stuff. If you are someone in the Dunedin cultural scene and you think we should meet, then please get in touch.
I am looking for people to write for. Already I’ve got plenty of plans (for instance, my big project will be to create a piece of music theatre and make it ready for production), but few commitments fixed in stone. If you or your group want me to write something for you, I want to hear your ideas.
My email address is robbieatrobbiedotcodoten-zed.
Woohoo! Now I can stop deceiving people! And finish producing this weekend’s programme for The Critic’s Chair down in Prod C.
