The Mozart Fellowship is a composer residency attached to the Music Department of the University of Otago, one of the five Arts Fellowships at the university.^[1] It is the oldest full-time composition residency in New Zealand,^[2] and is currently the only position of its kind; the list of past fellows includes many of New Zealand's most notable composers.^[3] In 2013, Martin Lodge, Associate Professor and Convenor of the Waikato University Music Programme described the Mozart Fellowship as "New Zealand's premiere composer residency, being the longest established, best paid and most prestigious with the list of past Fellows a veritable who's who of New Zealand composers".^[4]

The 2024 Mozart Fellow is Simon Eastwood.^[5]

History

The Fellowship was established in 1969^[2] and the first appointed Mozart Fellow was Anthony Watson.^[6][7] It is awarded for a 12-month period, and no composer may hold the Fellowship for more than two years. Composers are also expected to spend the majority of their time based in Dunedin.^{[citation needed]}

The appointed composer is paid a stipend which allows him or her to live and are given the freedom to work on projects of their own choice, although traditionally many recipients of the award have written compositions for performers within the University's Music Department or the city's orchestra Dunedin Symphony.^[7]

A reunion of past and present fellowship holders was held at the university in 2007.^[7]

List of Mozart Fellows

The composers who have received this award are as follows:^[8]