Riki McDonnell

Richard John Russell McDonnell QSM. (1955-2018) Mr Riki McDonnell was a brass musician who has won 31 New Zealand solo titles over a 36-year period on four different instruments: tenor horn, flugelhorn, euphonium and baritone horn. In 2002 he became the first New Zealander to win the International Euphonium Player of the Year Award. He lived in New Zealand and has devoted most of his life to music. His musical career started as a boy soprano and his first professional engagement was singing in the stage show Oliver. A large family of brass band players influenced Riki’s entry into the ‘brass band world’ in 1969. Within two years the NZ Junior Tenor Horn title was under his belt and the very next year Riki claimed the NZ Open Horn title. This win was the start of twenty Open titles (5 on tenor horn, 8 on flugelhorn and 7 on euphonium). Riki has won more titles than any other competitor in New Zealand’s 120 plus years history. He is the only person to win the Champion of Champions on three different instruments.