Rupert D’Cruze has been living in New Zealand since 2006. A musician since the age of six, Rupert grew from chorister in the Temple Church Choir, London to young organist and choirmaster. As a student he was Principal Trombone in both the London Schools Symphony Orchestra and the European Community Youth Orchestra. His work as a professional trombone player and teacher led into conducting and further study. He was awarded the Philharmonia Conducting Prize at the Royal Academy of Music, London in 1987, was finalist and prizewinner in the Tokyo International Conducting Competition 1991 and second prize winner in the Hungarian International Conducting Competition 1992.
NEW ZEALAND
After a successful period conducting in Europe, Rupert now resides in Hamilton, and inspired by the beauty of this country, he has settled here. Concerts with the Trust Waikato Symphony Orchestra in 2007 and 2008 led to Rupert accepting the newly created position of Musical Director of TWSO in 2009. Following a highly successful concert with the St. Matthews Chamber Orchestra, Auckland, featuring New Zealand prize-winning violinist Amalia Hall and music by New Zealand composer David Griffiths in February 2008, SMCO immediately re-engaged Rupert for further concerts in their 2009 season. In April 2008 Rupert conducted Karl Jenkins’ ‘The Armed Man’ with the Hamilton Civic Choir, the Opus Orchestra and four of New Zealand’s finest young soloists to critical acclaim. In 2009 appearances included the Manukau City Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Choral Society and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
In February 2010 Rupert formed the Hamilton Festival Chorus for their first performance as part of the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival with tenor Ben Makisi and TWSO. Two months later in April he was appointed Musical Director of Dalewool Auckland Brass, one of New Zealand’s leading brass bands. In August he made his debut with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra conducting the New Zealand premiere of Kenneth Young’s Lux Aeterna and Brahms Requiem with the Hamilton Civic Choir. In October he directed the Manukau City Symphony Orchestra for a highly successful performance with Helen Medlyn, and also returned to the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra to direct their Composer’s Competition working with John Psathas. In November he conducted the TWSO with New Zealand virtuoso violinist and composer Fiona Pears in Hamilton and Rotorua, and in December directed the Graduate Choir of New Zealand with Dalewool Auckland Brass at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland. This performance coincided with the launch of his latest CD with Dalewool and the Graduate Choir.
2011 included further concerts with TWSO, the Manukau City Symphony Orchestra and the St Matthews Chamber Orchestra, Auckland, and collaboration with soloists James Tennant, Cherry Ngan, Matteo Napoli and Santiago Canon Valencia. In 2012 Rupert takes over the Musical Directorship of the Cantando Choir, NZ.
KEY INFLUENCES
Key influences in his musical development have been Sir Colin Davis and George Hurst, both conducting professors at the Royal Academy of Music. Rupert has also worked with Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, James Judd, Carlo Maria Guilini and Sir Simon Rattle. His earliest mentor was Sir George Thalben-Ball, organist and choirmaster at the Temple Church, London.
PREVIOUS CONDUCTING EXPERIENCE
In Continental Europe Rupert worked with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, the South German Radio Symphony Orchestra, the North Hungarian Symphony Orchestra, and in collaboration with Peter Eotvos and Gyorgy Kurtag in performances of contemporary music. In Britain he was the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra, Musical Director of the Portsmouth Festival Choir, Conductor of the Blackheath String Orchestra and also the Greenwich Chamber Orchestra.
Rupert enjoys new music and has given many successful first performances of works by Timothy Bowers and Nigel Clarke.
He has a particular interest in the training of young musicians and has been a regular guest conductor of the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy, Miskolc, Hungary, and conducted performances of the Royal Academy of Music Opera. He was conductor of the Reading Youth Orchestra, the Somerset Youth Orchestra, the Croydon Schools Wind Orchestra, the Gwynedd County Youth Orchestra, guest conductor of the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra, and on the staff of the Aberdeen International Youth Music Festival.
Rupert was an examiner to the Guildhall School of Music for many years, and now as well as examining for the NZ Music Examinations Board also works as an adjudicator. He is a Performance Fellow at the Conservatorium of Music, University of Waikato and teaches conducting. For details of his next conductor training course check out the Conductor Training page http://rupertdcruze.com/conductor-training-2/