Our People

Some of our members and support people...

(Players and support people - if you'd like to be featured on this page, either in a combined shot with other players, or on your own, please email kapitico@gmail.com a photo and short blurb)

Donald Armstrong, Resident Conductor

Born in Wellington, Donald Armstrong started early professional studies with the NZBC Schola Musica and the NZ National Youth Orchestra. He participated in the 1975 World Tour of the NZ National Youth Orchestra with concerts in Scotland, England and China. He joined the NZ Symphony Orchestra at the age of 19. Two years later, with an Arts Council Bursary and an Alex Lindsay Memorial Award Scholarship, he completed a post-graduate diploma at Mannes College, New York, and a Masters degree at the New England Conservatory in Boston, studying violin with Masuko Ushioda and Josef Gingold, and chamber music with Louis Krasner, Eugene Lehner and Laurence Lesser. As First Violin of the New England Conservatory Scholarship String Quartet he won a special prize at the Concours International d’Évian held in France in 1982.

In 1983 Donald was appointed Principal Second Violin of the Tivoli Sinfoniorkester in Denmark and soon after become Concertmaster of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice in France. He returned to New Zealand in 1987 as Associate Concertmaster of the NZSO, a position he still holds. He was Music Director of the NZ Chamber Orchestra from its inception in 1987, until 2005. His incisive leadership was a major force in creating the dynamic and exciting style of the NZCO, heard both in live concert and on their many commercial recordings.

Donald has appeared as soloist with the NZSO and the NZ Chamber Orchestra. He has a continuing passion for chamber orchestra repertoire and enjoys introducing musical challenges to musicians and audiences alike. He formed his own ensemble “Hot Young Strings” where top professionals combined with emerging young players to create interesting interactions of youth, talent and professionalism. This ensemble combined Donald’s interests in conducting, mentoring young players, and creating exciting musical opportunities.

Donald has conducted the NZ Chamber Orchestra on occasion and more recently has conducted other New Zealand orchestras including the Wellington Chamber Orchestra, the Victoria University Strings, the Wellington Youth Orchestra, the Manawatu Sinfonia and the Hutt Valley Orchestra. He also enjoyed a brief appearance conducting the NZSO at their 60th anniversary concert and recently conducted at the Aroha String Quartet Chamber Music Festival, the Akaroa Music Festival, the Mt Buller Chamber Music Festival (Australia).

Donald is keen to play a part in preserving and advancing New Zealand’s musical heritage along with his teaching, coaching and encouraging young instrumentalists.

Angela Ford - Clarinet/Saxophone

Clarinet is my main instrument but I also play bass clarinet, E flat clarinet, soprano, alto and tenor saxophone.
Apart from playing in KCO and the Kapiti Light Orchestra, I also play with Brasso and occasionally for the Otaki Theatre. For my day job I work as a Vet in Otaki. I joined KCO in 2004 when the orchestra was founded and served as joint chairperson for 10 years - in my experience, organising orchestral players is much like herding cats!

Fran Tull - Violin/Percussion

I moved to New Zealand from the UK in 2011. From many years spent as a Warrant Officer in the Women's Royal Army Corp Staff Band in England as a percussionist - which was the only all female military band in the world - it has been great to pick up playing the violin again for KCO. I was chairperson on KCO's committee for 10 years. I spend one day a week with our wonderful tamariki, passing on my knowledge and love of music to school children. I also enjoy playing percussion for local and professional theatre groups. Music in all its genres has been my life's passion - so now is Freddie (see photo).

Malu Jonas - Flute/Piccolo

Malu Jonas has performed flute professionally since 1982, when she was first hired as Principal Flautist of the Dunedin Sinfonia. She enjoys performing in a range of solo, chamber music and orchestral music, and has been Principal Flautist of the Kapiti Concert Orchestra since its inaugural auditions in 2003. A Kapiti Coast resident since 1991 when Malu arrived to take up the position of HOD Music at Kapiti College, she now juggles parenting with tutoring a number of musical disciplines in 3 different schools, and from home.

Linda Simmons - Viola

Since 1968 Linda has enjoyed a long and rewarding professional life, firstly playing the viola in the NZSO and for the last 16 years as Section Principal with Orchestra Wellington. In intervening years she qualified as a landscape designer/garden consultant working throughout the lower North Island. With husband Max and Monty the Wauzer pup (pictured), Linda is now “retired” in Levin after 30 years of rural life in Makara, Wellington. Linda is the committee Chair, and Strings Coordinator with KCO.

John Bonifant - Viola

Changing from violin to viola in 1957, I was a foundation member of the NZ National Youth Orchestra in 1959. I played in the Otago University String Quartet, the Dunedin Regional Orchestra, and since then I have played in the West London Sinfonia, the Riyadh Concert Orchestra (Saudi Arabia), the Burnside Symphony in Adelaide, the Australian Doctors Orchestra, and currently, the NZ Doctors Orchestra. I have played much chamber music over the years and would love to do more if there is anyone out there interested! (I have a lot of music.) I enjoy playing in the KCO, and occasionally the WCO. I am a retired palliative care physician and an Anglican priest.

Doreen Douglas - Timpani/Percussion

A KCO founder member, and current committe member, Doreen studied the recorder and singing at Trinity College of Music, London and now, after forays into playing clarinet and tenor horn, plays timpani in KCO and KLO.  When not playing in the orchestra she can be found having fun with the morris dancers.

Elizabeth M Auchinvole - Violin

Elizabeth first learned violin through public Saturday morning music classes, then learned privately from Rae Crossley-Croft, the lead second of the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra at the time, who took her through the Royal School of Music up to Grade 8. She enjoyed taking part in the APPA school holiday music programmes, and went on to participate in the Auckland Youth Orchestra, the NZ Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra, and the Dunedin Symphonia. Elizabeth studied a year of performance violin as part of a B.A. She has played theatre and live shows, as well as rock, pop and folk music. The percussive techniques and pressures Elizabeth has experienced while playing in a soloistic style for other small music group settings are helpful with the challenging KCO repertoire where there is frequently no place to hide (even for the violins!) and every musician gets a moment to shine. (Photo by "Sounes")
 
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Posted in Our People.