Short Biography:
Lizzie is a contemporary classical composer currently living in the Waikato and Taranaki, New Zealand. She completed her Masters in Music early 2010, majoring in composition, and has now begun Doctoral studies specializing in live performer and electronic works. She loves all kinds of music and enjoys composing in a wide range of styles. For more info see the big biography below or feel free to stay around and listen to some music on the music page or check out some photography in the gallery.
Full Biography:
E.J. was born Elizabeth Jane Dobson on May 16th 1986 in New Plymouth, New Zealand. She is now 24 years old freelancing as a composer while living between Taranaki and Waikato. She began playing piano at age 7, quickly picking up guitar and viola, then went on to sing in many rock bands. She has been a singer-song writer from a young age and started writing classical music at aged 13.
Lizzie Dobson completed her Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours in Composition at the University of Waikato, studying under Martin Lodge, Ian Whalley and Micheal Williams in 2008. Lizzie moved up to Hamilton to start her Bachelor of Music in 2005 after spending one year at the Nelson School of Music studying for a Certificate in Contemporary Music Performance - majoring in singing which she passed with distinction.
At the start of 2010 she completed her Masters in Music majoring in composition. Her portfolio included a wide range of work She enjoys writing an extensive range of music, from solo instrumental works or chamber groups to large orchestral works to electro-acoustic music as well as pop and rock.
She has had many successes both on a national and international scale including premiers of work in Australia, the United States and at various places around New Zealand, as well as winning awards and recognition for her work. One recent premiere was Parihaka - a work for vocalising percussionist by Australian's top young performer Louise Devenish in Perth, March 2010. She was invited to attend the 2009 Bang on a Can's Summer Festival held in the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art where she was commissioned to write a 10 minute chamber work. She has attend the New Zealand Annual Todd NZSO Young Composer Readings in 2008, 2009 and 2010, where her work has been was performed and recorded by the NZSO. She has also been a regular attendee of the Nelson Composers workshop where her works have been workshopped and performed.
She is a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar at Waikato University (2009, 2010), and in 2009 was awarded the Creative and Performing Arts Person of the Year and the annual Waikato Universities Blues Awards. She is a member of the Golden Key Society, has been awarded a University Blue in 2008 and 2009 for musical excellence, the Kerby Bursary for most Meritorious Music Student in 2008, a FASS Honours Award 2008, jointly awarded the Niklas Werner Memorial Prize for Electro-Acoustic Music 2008, a University of Waikato Masters Research Scholarship 2009 and a prize from the Dame Malvina Major Foundation for outstanding musicians from the Taranaki Region (2009). She now holds a prestigious doctoral scholarship where she will begin her PhD specializing in live performer and electronic works.
If she is not currently practising flute, bass or composing, or planning her next travelling escapade you will most likely find her with a camera in hand.
For up to date news please see Lizzie's blog.
To contact Lizzie in the interim please email ej @ ejdobson.com
Twitter: (up to the minute updates)
