Adjudicators 2023

Ken Dye is Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of Notre Dame. He is a graduate of the University of Houston, where he holds a Doctorate in Music Education and a MBA in Marketing. He has also earned degrees of Master of Arts in Music from California State University and Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern California. As a composer/arranger, Ken Dye served as a staff writer for several publishers and served as composer/arranger for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Band His writing activities have produced over 1900 works for Band and orchestra performed throughout the U.S. and overseas. Under his direction, Notre Dame Band has performed concerts in the Sydney Opera House, Beijing Concert Hall, and Carnegie Hall, as well as toured Europe, Asia, South America, and the Pacific. In 2011, Notre Dame Band was awarded the prestigious Sudler Trophy, considered the “Heisman Trophy” of collegiate bands. 

Dye also serves as a concurrent Professor of Computer Applications developing the course “Music through Technology” and teaches music from a business perspective in a course entitled “The Business of Music.” Most recently his research has involved the musical history of the Olympics and he has incorporated it into a new course: “Music and the Olympics: A Soundtrack for Competition, Ceremony, and Celebration”. Prior to Notre Dame, Ken Dye taught at Rice University, University of West Georgia, schools in California and Mexico City. He has also served as director of the Opening Ceremonies of the U.S. Olympic Festival and conductor of the All-American College Band at Disney World. 

David’s musical journey began in Dunedin playing cornet with the St Kilda Junior Band. Trumpet and choral singing were his other formative early music mainstays, then time at Otago University and Dunedin Teachers’ College. Apart from a brief stint in the UKI, most of his teaching and conducting career has been in Christchurch. The development of school bands in those regions was a significant part of David’s teaching commitments.

He directed Woolston Band and Christchurch Youth Symphonic Band for a decade in the mid-1990s. During this tenure, Woolston Brass enjoyed success in competitions, developed a regular series of public performances, undertook overseas tours and several recordings. CYSB had an active concert and touring schedule during this period.

David was instrumental in fostering the commissioning of New Zealand works for brass band, including for the National Band of New Zealand, which he directed from 2003 to 2005. The fostering of New Zealand music is still a keenly supported aspect of his music making.  David spent several years on the NZCBA Executive as a committee member representing South Island concert bands. In 2010 David was awarded an MNZM for Services to Music. In 2018 David became the seventh Director of Music for the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band based. 

ARVYDAS KAZLAUSKAS

Arvydas is one of Latvia’s leading saxophone players. An academic musician, he hasn’t limit himself to this, and is known for his creative curiosity. He is always up for unexpected adventures resulting in collaborations with musicians of other genres and explorations of yet-unknown territories. His playing has been described as having “exceptionally high qualities in sound, articulation and emotional nuances.” 

He studied in Latvia, then Berlin, winning international competitions. Arvydas has performed with symphonies, symphonic bands and chamber orchestras and presented master classes throughout Europe in 14 European countries.  He collaborates with singers, pianists, chamber ensembles and Latvia’s state choir.  A strong supporter of new composers, he has premiered performances of many works for saxophone, including concerti.  He founded Atomos Saxophone Quartet premiering dozens of new work and recorded several albums.  In 2017 he was nominated for Latvian “Musician of the Year”.

TIM SUTTON. Tim was appointed bass trombonist of the APO in 1990 after his completion of a B Mus, Victoria University of Wellington. He then earned a Master of Music at De Paul University (Chicago) in the studio of Charles Vernon.

Tim has played under Leonard Bernstein!, is a founding member of 175 East , BonaNZa, The New Zealand Dominion Centenary Concert Band, and has performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, NZSO and Wellington Orchestra.

He takes an active role in Auckland’s musical culture: free improv at Vitamin S nights at the Wine Cellar, soloist with the AWO and Manukau Symphony, is on numerous albums and sound tracks.  He is passionate about teaching and works in several schools, including for the Tironui Music Trust in Papatoetoe.