Kit Powell Born 2 December 1937 in Wellington New Zealand, only child of Hubert and Betty Powell. Father is a mechanic and amateur clockmaker and mother a keen pianist. Learns piano and later clarinet and sings in the Ngaio church choir. After school he studies maths and science at the Victoria University (Wellingon) and his first compositions are heard in the University Music Society . Meets Douglas Lilburn . 1960 graduates with MSc in mathematics and starts music degree course (Wellington). 1961 moves to Christchurch to study at the Teachers Training College and remains to teach at Linwood High School (1962). 1961 meets Nelson Wattie who performs Reading Gaol 1962 meets Don McAra who inspires him to act: Othello —Othello Overture 1960—63 attends annual Music Summer School for four years in Cambridge (NZ) where his first orchestral works are performed. Tutors: Ron Tremain and Larry Pruden 1964 graduates as Bachelor of Music (hons) 1966 – 1967 travels to Europe: Corso medio at the Università per Stranieri , Perugia, where he meets Brigitte Bänninger .2 months’ course at Accademia Chigiana , Siena, with composer Goffredo Petrassi . In December 1966 marries Brigitte in Bülach (Switzerland). 1967 teaches English in Zurich (Berlitz School), learns German and attends a course in Neue Musik , Darmstadt (Stockhausen, Ligeti, Earl Brown, etc.). 1968 returns to Linwood High School . 1969 birth of Philip and 1970 of Fiona . Starts composing for total theatre productions: 1969 The Odyssey 1970 Harald and William 1971 Simplicissimus 1972 Akhnaton 1973 writes Musical Design for schools. 1975 becomes a lecturer at the Teachers Training College, meets Michael Harlow and completes The Fisherman and his Wife First works with Michael Harlow: Stone Poem Devotion to the Small Texts for Composition 1978 meets Gennie de Lange . She and KP teach their own children pottery and music. In 1980 a concert of their compositions and an exhibition of their clay sculptures takes place. 1980 – 1981 sabbatical year in Switzerland to study teaching of creativity . Composition course in Aix-en-Provence with Mauricio Kagel . Teaches composition at the Kantonsschule in Bülach . Meets André Fischer . 1980 meets Gerald Bennett and travels with him and students to the Electronic Music Studio in Bourges , France). performances of Galgenlieder Christophorus 1982 back in New Zealand (Christchurch Teachers College). Performances of Piece of 4 , Christophorus (English version) and The Evercircling Light 1983 Pan Verlag publishes Galgenlieder and Musik mit gefundenen Gegenständen . 1984 Powell family moves to Switzerland, teaches theory at Winterthur Conservatory, meets Dominik Blum . Concert in Winterthur under the title of Chance Meeting : Three Chance Pieces Plus One Stone Poem for Clarinet and Tape 1986 Michael Harlow is Katherine Mansfield scholar in Menton (France). He visits Eglisau and plans the Nelson Songs with KP. In summer Nelson Songs Nelson Wattie . 1987 visits UPIC course in Paris on the computer music machine by Iannis Xenakis and writes Flötenspieler und Fledermäuse Les Episodes for soprano, baritone and orchestra and misses the premiere of Flötenspieler und Fledermäuse Yuri Sobolev at his first exhibition in Switzerland. 1988 Chinese Songs 1989 Monika Lichtensteiger organises a concert in Rigiblick Theatre (Zürich). First performances of Poem then, for love The Green Man Father’s Telescope David Thorner , Franziska Stähelin and percussionist Christoph Caskel (related to Monika). 1990 works on the chamber opera Hauptsache, man geht zusammen hin Jürg Schubiger . First Russian trip: Moscow and Lenningrad. Planning for Puppet Desert 1990 Gargantua André Fischer with the Statdmusik Illnau/Effretikon . 1991 Lemon Music Yuri and his wife Galia in Zurich. Work on Encounter with Don Giovanni Un quart d'heure avec Dom Juan 1992 Eglisau 1100 year celebrations: Mayenzeit 1993 Concert (together with André Fischer) in the Zürcher Stadthaus. Both versions of WHALE are premièred: for choir and tape and for trombone and tape Visit to the Woollastons in Nairobi. Tape piece: Jua Kali with sounds from metal market. Performance of three scenes from the chamber opera Hauptsache, man geht zusammen hin André Fischer . 1994: Dominik Blum conducts Dies irae Dominique Hunziker as solo flautist. Performance of WHALE 1995: Second Russian visit: KYKART-II Festival in Pushkin. Première of After Babel WHALE Amselbaum Piano Poems Metamorphoses Sonatina for Trombone and Piano 1996: Buys house on Promenadenstrasse 24, Eglisau Various commissions: 1995 Innere Stimmen Robert Schumanns Mass 1996 Boundaries 1997 Der Wal 1997 Concerto for 5 Percussionists and Orchestra 1998 Koauau 1998 Salmagundi Brass Connection 1999 Credo 1999 Die Poppa 2000 Sextett für Klarinette, Bassklarinette und Streichquartett 2001 Concerto for Trombone and Tuba 2001 Scheint denn die Sonne heut’ nicht? 2002 Retires from the Zurich Conservatory (2003). 65th birthday concert organised by André Fischer. 2005 Rothko Variations is played as a reading by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra NZSO in Wellington. 2005 Visits Kapiti Island – piano piece Kapiti 2006 Fiona and Roger's wedding: Wedding Fanfare 2006 Starts writing the Maui Cycle 2007 Concert for 70th birthday in Zurich Conservatory organised by the Institute for Computermusic and Sound Technology ICST . Performance of Piece of 4 Three Chance Pieces plus One 2008 Starts writing Missa Profana 2009 Alles unter einem Hut 2009 Te Ika a Maui Maui Cycle , a concerto for clarinet and orchestra) is played in a reading by the NZSO in Wellington 2010 Finishes the Maui Cycle 2011 Finishes the Missa Profana 2012 Was Liebe ist Alles unter einem Hut 2012 Roger Boltshauser makes 75th Birthday Concert in the Kunsthaus Zürich possible, with ensemble neue musik zürich , David Thorner , Dominik Blum , Philip and Fiona Powell . Première performances of Kapiti Sextet Chance Piece for Flute and Tape Microzoic Piano Suite 2015 Whale Fantasy See Siang Wong 2017 Let all words be music 2016-17 Schubert 1828 2016-17 Symphonie réflectique 2. 12. 2017 Tide Pools , 80th birthday concert in the Auditorium of the Old Conservatory, Zürich. A concert of so far unperformed choral works sung by the Vokalensemble Zürich with conductor by Peter Siegwart and pianist Paul Suits.Program: Tide Pools A Shout Paper Pieces Whale Fantasy Today is the Piano’s Birthday 5 Schwitters Songs for Andres Let all words be music 17. 4. 2018 Kit Powell meets Schubert First performance of Schubert 1828 Concert in the Maaghalle Zürich . Conductor André Fischer , orchestra ZKO 2021 Finishes Symphonic Reflections for Sop. Bass and Orchestra to texts by Michael Harlow 2021 Old student friend Neil Ashcroft dies. In Memoriam NWA Film Music for "Making of the Kiln Tower"