Eve de Castro-Robinson facts for kids

Eve de Castro-Robinson was born in London, England, on November 9, 1956. She is a talented New Zealand composer, a university professor, and a graphic designer. She creates many different types of music, including pieces for orchestras, singers, and small groups of instruments. She also makes electroacoustic music, which uses electronic sounds.

Eve studied at the University of Auckland. In 1991, she made history there by becoming the very first person to earn a DMus degree (Doctor of Music) from the university. Today, she teaches composition at the University of Auckland as an Associate Professor. This means she helps students learn how to write their own music.

Besides writing music and teaching, Eve is very involved in the music world. Special concerts have been held to celebrate her work, like one in Wellington in 2004 and another for her 50th birthday in 2006. She also shares her knowledge about music by writing articles and talking about it on radio shows. She helps lead important music groups, like the Karlheinz Company, which is a group at the University of Auckland that plays modern music.

Awards and Special Mentions

Eve de Castro-Robinson has received many awards for her amazing musical work. Here are some of the special recognitions she has earned:

• Philip Neill Memorial Prize in 1987 and again in 1993.
• She was the Composer in Residence for the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in 1991. This meant she worked closely with the orchestra to create new music.
• She won the SOUNZ Contemporary Award in 1998 and 2007. She was also a finalist for this award in 2006.
• She received the CANZ Trust Fund Award in 2000.
• In 2018, her album The Gristle of Knuckles won the Best Classical Artist award at the Aotearoa Music Awards (also known as the Vodafone NZ Music Awards).

Explore Her Musical Works

Eve de Castro-Robinson has composed many different pieces of music. Here are some of her notable works:

• Chaos of Delight (1998) for a small group of instruments.
• Other Echoes (2000), a piece for a full orchestra.
• a pink-lit phase for flute, viola, and harp.
• Chaos of Delight III (2006) for women's voices.
• Five Responses for women's voices, a male speaker, and a mixed group of instruments.
• Len Songs for a mezzo-soprano (a type of singer), clarinet, violin, and piano.
• Noah's Ark for a large group of instruments.
• Releasing the Angel (2011), a piece for cello and orchestra.
• Len Lye (2012), a long opera that tells a story through music and singing. It lasts 90 minutes and has five acts.
• Split the Lark for violin and piano.
• Triple Clarinet Concerto for three different types of clarinets and an orchestra.
• Tumbling Strains for violin and cello.
• Hour of Lead (2024) for orchestra.

Some of her music scores have been published by Waiteata Press in Wellington.

Her Recorded Music

You can listen to Eve de Castro-Robinson's music on several albums. Here are some of her recordings:

• 2018: The Gristle of Knuckles (Rattle Records RAT-D078)
• 2016: I Stayed A Minute (Rattle Records RAT-D063)
• 2013: Other echoes (Atoll Records ACD300)
• 2011: Releasing the Angel (Atoll Records ACD141). This album was a finalist for the Best Classical Album at the 2012 NZ Music Awards.
• 1998: Chaos of Delight (Atoll Records A9806)