Douglas Lilburn (Order of New Zealand) was born in Whanganui on the 2nd November 1915. Until his death in 6 June 2001, he was New Zealand’s preeminent composer, often referred to as the “grandfather of New Zealand music”. He attended the Royal College of Music, London, where he studied under Ralph Vaughan Williams. Upon his return to New Zealand, he taught and worked as a freelance composer in Christchurch, before moving to Wellington to teach at Victoria University.

In 1963 he founded the electronic music studio, the first of its kind in Australasia. In his later years Lilburn helped establish the Alexander Turnbull Library Archive of New Zealand Music, alongside the Lilburn Trust. This was in an effort to both preserve New Zealand’s musical heritage and to foster young artist to develop New Zealand’s musical future. This photo comes from the Weekly Review No. 332 (1948) . It is captioned “ Douglas Lilburn , composer of special music for a film on New Zealand backblock medical services, is shown directing members of the National Symphony Orchestra.”

Reference: AAPG 25263 W3939 24/D.4 (R2843859)

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