MARSHALL Christopher

Bio

Christopher Marshall is a freelance composer and teacher of composition. Orlando, Florida in the United States of America has been his home since 2006.

A New Zealander, born in Paris, France, he received his early music education in New South Wales, Australia and in Wellington, New Zealand.

He holds a Masters Degree in Music with Honours but is largely self taught as a composer. This has allowed him to develop a consistent personal style. While his music has evolved greatly over the years, this has been a broadening and deepening process rather than any substantial change of direction.

The foundation of his style is a strong belief that music is primarily a means of expressive communication with an audience. Singable, memorable melody coupled with a subtle use of the tonal harmonic system is a valuable resource. However if music is to communicate on more than an ephemeral level, especially after repeated hearings, the melodic and harmonic elements must be integrated into a convincing structure. He believes instrumentation must be part of this structure, not an afterthought.

Among the giants of the past, Bach and Brahms have had the most discernible influence on his music. Contemporary composers with whose work he feels an affinity include John Corigliano, John Tavener, John Adams and Arvo Pärt. His study of serial technique has been useful in determining the structure and texture of some of his music, and less frequently in matters of melody and harmony.

He has always been fascinated by the power and intensity of Maori chant. Over the years he has found elements of this music appearing as part of my musical vocabulary, usually on a superficial level as in certain melodic turns of phrase and in a particular choice of instrumental tone colour, but sometimes as a significant influence on the very structure of a piece. Likewise the rhythms and forms of other Polynesian music continue to make their mark. He spent three of the most inspiring – and difficult – years of his life in Western Samoa, mostly inland at Vaia’ata in Savai’i. It is not surprising therefore that this very strange and beautiful country should have left its mark on his psyche.