SSGT DAVID FIU WINS TERRY MOLONEY MEMORIAL BUGLE

Staff Sergeant David Fiu from the New Zealand Army Band has won the prestigious Terry Moloney Memorial Bugle.

In 2011 the International Military Music Society established the Terry Moloney Memorial Bugle annual award for the New Zealand military band member who has made the greatest contribution to military music.

WO2 Terry Moloney was the founding Bandmaster of the 1st Battalion NZ Regiment Band in 1957, and became known affectionately by his colleagues and successive military musicians as ‘the grandfather of the New Zealand Army Band’. Terry was an enthusiastic member of the International Military Music Society and, prior to passing away in December 2010 at the age of 88, he gave his blessing to the creation of an annual award in his memory.

The citation read: Staff Sergeant David Fiu was born, bred and educated in Wellington. An accomplished singer and multiinstrumentalist David began his musical journey learning piano at the age of eight, before receiving cornet tuition from the Wellington South Salvation Army at age 11. He was promoted to the senior band at age 15 and ultimately appointed Deputy Conductor at age 27.

At a tertiary level David studied classical trumpet at the Wellington Conservatorium of Music and contemporary rock at the Whitireia Polytechnic. During this period he became proficient on guitar, bass guitar, cello, and trombone, as well as forming an acapella vocal group which toured Australia on numerous occasions.

During his time in Wellington David was also a member of the Wellington Youth Orchestra, National Youth Jazz Orchestra, the Central Band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and a foundation member of the Wellington reggae band Southside of Bombay, known for the song What’s the time Mr Wolf?, which featured in the New Zealand movie

“Once Were Warriors”

In 2000 David enlisted into the New Zealand Army Band and continued a musical career whose highlights include solo vocal performances in Canada, South Korea, England, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, France, Belgium, Israel, Fiji, and the finale of both the 2019 and 2022 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland.

As a multi-instrumentalist David has proven particularly invaluable to the New Zealand Army Band, having performed with the unit on cornet, trumpet, flugal, tenor horn, baritone, euphonium, trombone, Eb bass, Bb bass, percussion, bass guitar, and piano keyboard.

In 2011 David was appointed Bandmaster of the Territorial Force 2nd Canterbury Nelson Marlborough West Coast Regiment Band and in 2012 he was appointed Musical Director of the civilian band Addington Brass, proceeding to lead them to provincial and national success. In 2014 David attained his Licentiate from the Royal Schools of Music, London in Music Direction. Over his military career David has held various appointments within the New Zealand Army Band including Staff Arranger, Deputy Bandmaster, Course Manager of the School of Music’s Mutual Assistance Programme,