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Story: Composers

Douglas Lilburn: Soundscape with lake and river

Audio file

While studying overseas in 1963, Douglas Lilburn spent time in electronic music studios and began exploring this new medium. He persuaded Victoria University to construct a custom-built electronic music studio for staff and students, and this was completed in 1966. Lilburn is shown here at work in the studio in 1969. The sound clip is one of his electroacoustic compositions, Soundscape with lake and river(1979).

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PA-Group-00685)

Reference: EP/1969/3689/18-F

Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. Reference: 14532

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

William Dart, Composers – Establishing a new tradition, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/music/44639/douglas-lilburn-soundscape-with-lake-and-river (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by William Dart, published 20 March 2014.