Musical Direction & Event Management

Both Richie and Dixon are experienced musicians, educators, arrangers, composers, producers, music programmers and musical directors. From orchestrating and arranging music, running rehearsals, to outsourcing stage, sound, light and technical requirements, let our Bands By Design team manage your event.

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Get in touch

Talk to Dixon or Richie about arranging your special music event.

We provide event management for:

Arranging and orchestrating music for any situation

Awards ceremonies

Themed parties

Backing bands for local and international artists

Educational directorship - leading bands or sectionals

Musicals, Stage Shows and Cabaret

technical support (sound / light / stage)

DIXON NACEY (Jazz, Pop, Rock, Funk, Latin, stage shows, T.V.)

Dixon began his career in musical directing at a young age when rehearsing covers bands in the mid 1990's ('Kick' then 'The Kingpins' & then 'Black Salt') and jazz groups ('Feijoa Jam', 'Hot Jazz Biscuits' then 'SNH trio'). Dixon has also directed small groups in jazz at the Univerity of Auckland for over 10 years. After completing advanced arranging papers he branched out into arranging for live brass and rhythm sections across a wide range of styles and band configurations. As well as directing several bands his latest M.D. roles include:

  • Coca-Cola Christmas In The Park - Dixon was the Artistic and Musical Director for 2016 and has signed on for another year (2017) at the creative helm of this iconic stage show, the largest of its kind in New Zealand.
  • Alchemy - Dixon restylized iconic kiwi pop tunes into jazz for a sell-out 19-song concert in May 2016, featuring 4 of NZ's top female solo artists. The show the headlined Tauranga's 2017 Jazz Festival.
  • Lady Sings The Blues 2015 - Dixon arranged 12 songs around 6 of New Zealand's top songstresses and then MD'd the sold out show at the Auckland Arts Festival's Spiegeltent in March 2015. The success of this show led to a repeat performance in September 2015 - to a sold out town hall audience!
  • The Maori TV Anzac Concert 2015 Special - Dixon orchestrated songs for jazz and pop rhythm sections and led the instrumental musicians on live TV for 3 songs, for this special 100th anniversary edition concert.
  • Happy Hour TV Show - In July 2014 Dixon rearranged popular songs into new styles, worked on 4 and 5 part vocal harmonies for the shows main musical act (The Modern Maori Quartet) and recorded bass, electric and acoustic guitars, ukelele and banjo for the Live Show tracks. He also performed live on stage on 3 numbers for the show whcih aired on TV One in October 2014.
  • The NZ Film Awards 2014 - Dixon arranged 47 stings for presenter and award winner walk ons and offs.

RICHIE PICKARD (JAZZ, Orchestral, POP, ROCK, FUNK, LATIN, Theatre, Stage, T.V.)

Richie has  a depth of experience working throughout the country as a director, alongside large and small musical ensembles, for educational institutes, Broadway style musicals and international touring artists. He received his Diploma in Jazz Studies in 1999 from CPIT, then his Post Graduate Bachelor of Music Honours in 2006 from the University of Canterbury.

  • Auckland University: Academy of Music 'Jazz Combo Series' 2014 and 2015 - Richie developed and arranged material, led groups through rehearsals and presented a live performance programme.
  • Fantine 2015 - International Touring Artist - The Tauranga Jazz Festival Baycourt Theatre & Christchurch Jazz and Blues Festival Dorma Jazz Cabaret Club 2015. Richie arranged music for live instruments, organised and rehearsed the musicians, then led the live band in two sell out performances in Tauranga and Christchurch.
  • Bonnie and Clyde (The Musical) 2013 at ACG Senior College, The Herald Theatre, Auckland. Richie was musical director for this well received broadway style musical.