Department of Music Lecturer and New Zealander Neil Newton was recently featured in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in their "Odysseys" series on immigrants who have settled Pittsburgh. In a fascinating read, we learn about Newton's perspectives on healthcare, transportation, and city planning, but also about what drew him toward music theory.

“Most music theorists like me are interested in music composition first, and you start doing composition, and once you get an idea of what composition is about, you start analyzing what other people did, and then in the end you start being more interested in what other people did, and you don’t care about composing any more. It just takes over.”

The article also reveals Newton's ready sense of humor in exchanges such as this one,

"…When asked about stereotypes Americans hold about New Zealanders, he says Americans have not met enough New Zealanders to generate a stereotype.

'In England, though, people tend to think New Zealanders are boring, and I think it’s predominantly because we do not like going to the pub as much as they do,” he laughs.'"

Be sure to read the entire article at the Post-Gazette.