BIOGRAPHY - ANNA GRACE CANNON
I was born in Invercargill New Zealand, but spent most of my childhood in Auckland Whilst at primary school I learnt to play the recorder and guitar and at high school and went on to play flute and piano. I played with the Secondary Schools Orchestra the year the queen visited (1977). I also played with the Manukau Youth Orchestra (flute) and toured Norfolk Island in the mid 1970’s
. In 1999 I returned to Invercargill where I teach music full time in my purpose built studio at home. I married in 2004 and my husband Erwin is very supportive of what I do. He is a musician and we work out song arrangements together .I also have four beautiful grandchildren Faith, Lily, Bella and Joel who are a real joy to me.
Song-writing has always interested me since my early teens. Over the years I had quite a collection. In the last decade I started writing larger works for piano and completed a Diploma in Composition with St Cecilia School of Music. A showcase of my work was premiered in Invercargill - 2006... The music was dedicated to my father Edward Le Huquet and included my work The Weatherman’s Daughter Suite for Piano. These pieces are descriptive piano solos mostly focusing on the weather as my father was a weather-man and a strong influence in my life. He is no longer with us, but I wanted to write something specific to his memory. The first piece is called Storm in A minor and was written around the time of the Taranaki tornado. The other pieces are gentle, reflecting nature in a different perspective.
THE WEATHERMAN'S DAUGHTER SUITE FOR PIANO
In 2006 to 2007 I wrote a series of jazz, boogie and blues pieces with names that reflect Southland and Invercargill. I called this book Southern Boogie and Blues. This is available on the web site.
More recent compositions include The Impossible Flute (A contemporary sonata for flute and piano) and some simple compositions for my piano students.
Since my premier at First Church Invercargill I have been putting on variety concerts with my students that include some of my original works as well as items presented by my students.
I trained with International Coach Academy and graduated Associate Coach in 2006 and have used my training to help further my student’s confidence and to offer them opportunities to reach their own musical or creative goals. I love learning and am very interested in adult education. I am currently half way through my BA (Music) with Massey University.
In 2009 I decided to undertake speech and drama lessons and a well-known Invercargill teacher. I have passed my first LTCL unit – Performing (Speech and Drama). I am looking forward to completing the other units in 2010. I will start working with groups of younger children in 2010.
My fundamental belief is that music should touch us in some way. It doesn't need to be clever or complex to be good but rather if it leaves an impression on us then we have succeeded. Please feel free to make use of the free resources this web site offers.
Anna Cannon