David Ward
David is a freelance musician and composer. He has worked extensively in jazz, folk and improvised music and composes for theatre.
- I play acoustic, electric and slide guitar and 4, 5 & 8 string banjos.
- I compose and perform music for theatre.
1999 - 2001 WELLINGTON CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC
BACHELOR OF MUSIC (Jazz Performance)
'A' BURSARY
2011 - WARD MUSIC Wrote, composed, produced and performed in new Theatre piece WHEEL OF EXPERIENCE
2010 - Present INDIAN INK THEATRE COMPANY composed music for GURU OF CHAI, performed in NZ, Australia, Singapore, U.S.A
2009 RED LEAP THEATRE. Collaborated with Andrew Mcmillan, Chris O'connor and John Bell on the soundtrack to The Arrival in the 2009 Auckland Arts Festival
2009 MISCHEIF EVENTS. Musically directed burlesque show Misdemeanours in the 2009 Fringe.
2009 TAMI NEILSON. Performed with Tami on NZ tour. Winner of Tui Award for Best Country Album
2007-2008 INDIAN INK THEATRE CO. The Dentist's Chair. Composer, Musical Director and Performer. Commissioned for the NZ International Arts Festival 08. Nominated for Most Outstanding Composer in the 2008 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
2007 CROSSINGS FESTIVAL TSB Arena Musical Director, Arranger, Performer for 8 piece band, performing Indian classical, 'Bolliwood' and Folk Electronica with Rhian Sheehan and International Indian Artists Vaishali Samant & Papon.
2006- 2008 CHILTON ST JAMES Private Girls School One on one and small group itinerant guitar tuition.
2004- Present INDIAN INK THEATRE CO. Krishnan's Dairy & The Candlestick Maker Solo Musician for the NZ, Singapore, Australia and Germany seasons of these award-winning plays.
2002 - Present SELF EMPLOYED MUSICIAN. Played at such venues as: King's Arms, Powerstation, Leigh Sawmill, Casette, Aotea Square, 6th and 7th Wellington International Jazz Festivals, Te Papa, Mighty Mighty, King's Arms, Penguin Club, Frank Kitts Park, Chow Cabaret, Cafe Bastille, The Matterhorn, The Lido, Happy, Cuba Street Carnival, Bodega, Logan Brown, Tupelo, Southern Cross, The Frontroom, Bats Theatre, Manon, Island Bay Festival, Visionz Festival, Wunderbar, The Cusp Festival, Liquidate, Amba, The Backbencher, Pod, The Bach Cafe, Skyline Restaurant, Aro Cafe, Michael Fowler Centre, The Wellesley, Zebo's, Cell Bar, Valve
2002- Present PRIVATE GUITAR TUTOR. Set up own private studio for weekly guitar tuition, teaching wide range of ages, abilities and styles.
Wrote, composed and performed theatre show WHEEL OF EXPERIENCE in 2011
Won "MOST OUTSTANDING COMPOSER" in the 2010 Chapmann Tripp Music awards for GURU OF CHAI.
Composed music for THE DENTIST'S CHAIR -Nominated for Most Outstanding Composer in the 2008 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
Collaborated with Andrew Mcmillan, Chris O'connor and John Bell on the soundtrack to RED LEAP THEATRE'S show THE ARRIVAL in the 2009 Auckland Arts Festival
Arranged and musically directed CROSSINGS FESTIVAL CONCERT with international Indian Artists.
Composed and led experimental Jazz Trio ONOMATOPOEIA
THE GURU OF CHAI:
"CLEAR SINGING, EXQUISITE BANJO PLAYING, INSPIRING SOUND EFFECTS" - Theatreview.
"SUPERB SCORE" Salient
"A BEAUTIFULLY MINIMALIST SOUNDTRACK" Waikato Times
"THE SOUND AND MUSICAL LANDSCAPES FURNISH THE PLAY WITH FEELINGS THAT TRANSCEND LANGUAGE OR CULTURE" - Waikato times
KRISHNANS DAIRY and The CANDLESTICKMAKER:
"EXCELLENT MUSIC...EACH SLOW TWANG OF HIS GUITAR RESONATES WITH AN INESCAPABLE LONELINESS" - Today (Singapore).
THE DENTIST'S CHAIR:
"MARVELLOUSLY GRITTY SONGS" – Dominion Post
"SPLENDIDLY CREEPY SONGS" – The Listener
"HAUNTING" "EXCELLENT, BOTH IN CONCEPTION AND EXECUTION" -Theatreview.
Justin Lewis - Director - Indian Ink Theatre Company. 09 815 3302 021 554 175 justinlewis@indianink.co.nz www.indianink.co.nz
021 2518105
dave.ward@clear.net.nz
www.myspace.com/davidwardmusician
Member Profile
David WardA graduate of the Wellington Jazz School, David has worked in many and varied musical settings. His main instruments are guitar and banjo and he composes music for theatre and original projects.
http://www.myspace.com/davidwardmusician
A long relationship has been with INDIAN INK THEATRE Company performing in NZ, Australia, U.S.A, Singapore and Germany for the critically acclaimed theatre shows KRISHNANS DAIRY and The CANDLESTICKMAKER. In 2008 he composed the music to their 4th work THE DENTIST'S CHAIR.
In 2010 David composed and performed the music for Indian Ink's New show THE GURU OF CHAI, for which he won the CHAPMAN TRIPP MOST OUTSTANDING COMPOSER 2010. He has since performed the show in NZ, Sydney, Brisbane, Singapore and Los Angeles,Nashville and St Louis.
In 2009 David collaborated with Andrew McMillan, Chris O’Connor and John Bell to record the “World Class” soundtrack for Red Leap Theatre’s production of THE ARRIVAL, which premiered in the Auckland Arts Festival. It has since been performed at festivals in Hong Kong and Sydney and in the 2010 NZ International Arts Festival.
http://www.redleaptheatre.co.nz/
In 2011, David collaborated with Peter Daube on creating an immersive theatre show called WHEEL OF EXPERIENCE, for the Random Acts Festival.
http://www.facebook.com/wheelofexperience
Another Long term project is THE BROADSIDES, a finely distilled blend of outlaw country, bluegrass and rockabilly.
He has also performed with NEW PACIFIC MUSIC ENSEMBLE, and with 08/09 Tui Award Winning Artist TAMI NEILSON.
