Musical Director - David Kay BMus (Hons)

David Kay has a Bachelor of Music with Honours degree in performance horn from the University of Auckland, and has just finished studying for a year at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music in London. since returning from his studies he has taken up the position as assistant horn in the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He has played 4th Horn with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra from 2004-2007, and has been in the National Youth Orchestra as principal horn in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He is a brass itinerant music teacher at 2 high schools and 1 intermediate school on the North Shore and a private music tutor as well. He has been principal Horn of the Auckland Youth Orchestra from 2002 - 2005, and was also principal Horn of the Auckland Wind Orchestra from 2001 - 2004. He was also a member of the North Shore Junior Orchestra from 1998 - 2001.

David has been the musical director of the North Shore Junior Orchestra for 6 years now (with one years leave last year), and is very proud to be associated with such young talent on the North Shore. In his six years with the orchestra they have played in venues across the North Shore including, Takapuna, Westlake, Browns Bay, Northcross and Mairangi Bay. The orchestra has been steadily improving and growing throughout David's time as musical director. His ambition is to take the orchestra out into the community at least 3 times each year and to help encourage the young people of the North Shore to achieve very high standards of performance.

As well as musical abilities David enjoys playing premier men's hockey for the ABC hockey club and has previously taught young children to swim at Hilton Brown Swimming. David feels that New Zealand is a very special place with a large pool of young talent which needs to be nurtured in the correct direction. Playing in an orchestra such as the North Shore Junior Orchestra at a young age will be a great benefit to not only the children's musical ability, but their team work skills and their personal discipline.

Previous Musical Directors/Assistants

Ryan Youens MMus

Ryan began his study at Auckland University in 2002, before moving to Otago University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2005 with first class honours. In 2006 he completed his Masters degree in composition at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington.

Ryan is primarily a composer and has studied under Anthony Ritchie, Jack Body, Michael Norris and John Psathas. He has workshopped and recorded his music with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra on two occasions, and has enjoyed many premieres by a number of other professional performers and ensembles.

As a conductor Ryan currently conducts the senior orchestra at Kristin School, is a regular conductor at the Opononi Summer School, in 2005 was the conductor of the Counterpoint Ladies Choir (Dunedin), and has worked with a number of different ensembles in a guest capacity and for recording.

Ryan also freelances as a music copyist & engraver, orchestrator and arranger and has a number of clients both in New Zealand and overseas. He teaches musicianship classes at the Auckland University Academy of Music, works for Trinity Guildhall supervising music examinations, and is a viola player performing regularly with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra and at various gigs around Auckland.

Ryan himself was in the North Shore Junior Orchestra (then the North Shore Junior Strings) for two years and knows the huge benefits for the players. It is a great resource on the North Shore and Ryan is looking forward to continuing the orchestra's ambition to grow the talent and encouraging high standards of performance.