Douglas Mews (composer)

Mews was born on 22 September 1918 in St John's, Newfoundland, Canada. He served in the British Army in Europe and North Africa in World War II from 1939 to 1946. == Career ==

After the war Mews became a professor and examiner for Trinity College from 1946 to 1963. He graduated with a DMus in 1961. In 1990 he received a Papal Knighthood from the Catholic Church. Audiences were affected by the poignancy and emotional power of the work and it has continued to be part of the choral repertoire. He wrote three biblical operas: The Kiss, The Waiting Father and Lazarus. Commissioned by the New Zealand Accordion Association Mews composed the solo accordion piece Suite Aotea as a test piece for the 1980 Coupe Mondiale World Championships which were held in New Zealand. The Accordion Teachers Guild USA then commissioned him to write a piece for the 1981 Coupe Mondiale; he composed Table Talk for accordion ensemble and choir. Other solo pieces were Neat Fingers, Putorino Dance, Harbour Lights and Pupuke-Moana. In 1974 he became an examiner and board member of the Accordion Examination Board of New Zealand (AEBNZ). He received the AEBNZ Certificate of Merit in 1992 for developing a formal syllabus and examination standards for accordion. == Legacy ==

In 1983 to mark his retirement Mews established the Douglas Mews Composition Prize at the University of Auckland. The prize is awarded to a student who writes the best composition of a setting for an unaccompanied choir. == Personal life ==

Mews met his wife Nancy Radius just after the war while he was stationed in the Netherlands. One son Douglas is a musician and organist and another Constant is an academic. In his spare time Mews enjoyed meccano and model railways. == Publications ==

• Mews. D. (1982) ''Harmony: a young musician's introduction.'' Auckland, N.Z.: Lone Kauri Press. • Mews, D. (1989) 'In retrospect : my nineteen years as a mewsician {musician} in New Zealand' Canzona, Sum 1989; v.11 n.31, 4–6. == Selected works ==

• Ghosts, Fire, Water (1972) - for unaccompanied choir and alto solo • Joshua (1973) - concerto for trombone and orchestra • Double string trio (1974) • Dinosaurs, decapods, donkeys (1976) - for two pianos • Threnody (1979) - for organ. Written for Westminster Abbey ANZAC Service • Suite Aotea (1980) - for free bass accordion • Table Talk (1981) - for choir and accordion quintet • ''The Circle of a Girl's Arms'' (1982) - for choir, harp and wind ensemble • The Kiss (1985) - opera for Passover • The Waiting Father (1988) - biblical opera • Lazarus (1988) - biblical opera • Concerto for two pianos (1988) • Gigue de Pan (1988) - for organ and small drums • The Cloud on the Mountain (1990) - oratorio for tenor, baritone, choir and orchestra == References ==