Jenny McLeod

Jenny Helen McLeod, ONZM (born 1941) is a composer and former Professor of Music at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Education

McLeod graduated BMus (Hons) from Victoria University in 1964, and the same year a New Zealand government bursary enabled her to study for two years in Europe with Messiaen, Stockhausen and Berio. In 1967 she became a lecturer in music at Victoria University, and Professor in 1971, a position she held until 1976.

Professorship

During her professorship, she was influenced by Guru Maharaji's Divine Light Mission, which led to her early retirement.

In June 1997 she was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music.

She is best known for two major works, Earth and Sky and Under the Sun for large forces. She has also composed many songs and hymns. She is a great admirer of, and was greatly influenced by the music of Messiaen.

Her Seven Tone Clock Pieces were first performed by the New Zealand pianist Jeffrey Grice 1.

She lives in Pukerua Bay, Porirua, where she continues to work on music theory, especially the relationships between notes and scales.