My life in music began with singing, in the Cathedral Choir of Christchurch and continued with violin studies. As Concertmaster of various orchestras, including the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, I developed conducting and composing areas as well, but throughout chamber music performances and solo appearances have been my most frequent performing experience outside of orchestral concerts.
Since becoming Head of Strings at the New Zealand School of Music I have premiered John Corigliano’s Red Violin Chaconne, and teamed up with Diedre Irons for regular recitals, including for Chamber Music New Zealand. I also made the first CD recordings of some important chamber works of Douglas Lilburn and ‘Meditations on Michelangelo’ by Jack Body on Naxos with the NZSO, which won the Vodafone Music Award for best classical CD in 2015. A premiere recording of violin works by David Farquhar was released on Rattle the same year. Since that year I have been Concertmaster of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra: I have also conducted that orchestra, as well as the Edmonton Symphony, Manawatu Chamber Orchestra, Academy Strings of Alberta, and the NZSM Orchestra, including in their opera seasons. Violinist of the Te Koki Trio, with Jian Liu and Inbal Megiddo, we have performed throughout New Zealand and in Sydney, Singapore and Malaysia. The trio's debut CD was a finalist in the Vodafone Music Awards for best classical CD in 2017 and has performed some of my arrangements at many of its concerts. Shannon Pittaway and the NZSM Brass Ensemble will perform my Fanfare for Brass in 2026.