Our warmest congratulations to Dave Dobbyn, who was knighted for his services to music in the 2021 New Year Honours list. Sir Dave needs very little introduction - he's a national treasure and his songs are part of Aotearoa's cultural fabric.
Dobbyn came to prominence in 1979 with Th'Dudes, and in the 1980s with DD Smash, before going solo.
He has received a record number of music awards and Silver Scroll Awards for his work across nine studio albums over a 40-year career. He first won a Silver Scroll Award in 1987 for You Oughta Be In Love, and followed this with a win in 1993 for Belle of the Ball, and most recently took the prize in 1998 for Beside You. He's also been in the top five or top 20 a further five times.
Dobbyn is also known for his compassion and social conscience - he performed free concerts for residents of Matata after the floods, spent time at community centres following the Christchurch earthquakes, and has an ongoing connection to the families of the Pike River Mine tragedy after writing This Love in honour of the 29 men who lost their lives. In 2017, he recorded his anthem Welcome Home - Nau Mai Ra in te reo Māori.
APRA had the pleasure of inducting him into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2013, and we're thrilled to see Dave recognised in this way for all the joy he brings, not only to our music community, but to his many fans around Aotearoa and the world.
Dave Dobbyn's induction into the NZ Music Hall of Fame at the 2013 APRA Silver Scroll Awards
Congratulations also go to another APRA member, Dr Glenda Keam, who was recognised for her services to music education and music, and became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Glenda is a composer, music analyst, lecturer, educational leader, new music advocate and festival organiser. Glenda lectured in Music at the University of Auckland from 1995-2006, and was Senior Lecturer and inaugural Programme Director for Music at Unitec, Auckland from 2006-2013. Since 2013 she has been Associate Professor and Head of Music at the University of Canterbury.
Glenda was President of CANZ (the Composers Association of New Zealand) from 2007 – 2017. In 2019 she was elected first female President of the ISCM (International Society for Contemporary Music), an organization dating back to 1922. Earlier appointments included time on the ISCM Executive Committee (including Vice-President from 2016) and four years as Treasurer of the NZSME (New Zealand Society for Music Education).