Gillian Whitehead
Gillian Karawe Whitehead, of Dunedin, received the Insignia of a Distinguished Companion of the NZ Order for Merit for services to music, on 3 September 2008. She is one of New Zealand’s eminent composers with her work spanning more than 40 years. She has produced a steady stream of compositions since receiving a MNZM in 1999. In 2000, she was honoured, by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, as one of five inaugural Artist Laureates. She has premiered many new works over the past seven years, including Nga Haerenga in 2001 and The Improbable Ordered Dance, written during her residency with the Auckland Philharmonia. This work won the SOUNZ Contemporary Award and she went on to win the same award for a third time in six years, with her composition Alice in 2003.