Hi. My name is Leanne Daharja Veitch, and I’m an Australian-born (1970) New Zealand composer, living in Dunedin.
My works have been performed in:
*** Argentina *** Australia *** Austria *** Brazil *** Canada *** France *** Germany *** Mexico *** New Zealand *** South Africa *** Spain *** United Kingdom *** United States (see below)
In the USA alone, my works have been performed in:
*** California *** Hawaii *** Idaho *** New Mexico *** New York State *** New York City *** Ohio *** Oregon *** Pennsylvania *** Washington ***
For further details, some of my performances are listed on the “performances” page of this website.
Some backstory…
Although I had sung in choirs since my mid 20s, it wasn’t until my mid 30s that I first attempted to compose, when my husband suggested that it might help me finally learn how to read music.
My first composition, The Wheel of the Year (2004), an 18 minute song cycle, shortly followed, and has since been performed in over a dozen countries. My works are now being performed regularly across the globe from South Africa to the United Kingdom to the United States and Mexico.
Primarily a choral composer, I am currently moving into popular songwriting, instrumental, and orchestral composition. Variations on my works have been developed and performed by musicians in Israel, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Argentina.
My goal as a composer is to write accessible music that is memorable, fun to sing, and original. I specialise in shorter, a cappella works, and write music that choirs will return to again and again, as standard works in their repertoires. Many of my performances are repeats, and feedback has been very positive, from audiences and performers alike.
I am a happily married full-time parent, with two young children. My interests include writing, board games, singing in choir and with friends, and managing our small family lifestyle farm in Wingatui, New Zealand.
My passions include dark chocolate (fair trade), fresh mangoes, and home grown strawberries.
