Anthony Ritchie
Encyclopedia
Anthony Ritchie is one of New Zealand
's most prolific composers. His works number over a hundred, and include three symphonies, two operas, seven concertos, choral works, chamber music
and solo works.
Anthony Ritchie completed a Ph.D. on the music of Béla Bartók
in 1987, studying at the Bartók Archives in Budapest
. He studied composition with Attila Bozay at the Liszt Academy, and completed his Mus.B (honors) at the University of Canterbury
. Upon returning to New Zealand, in succession he took on the posts of Composer-in-Schools in Christchurch, Mozart Fellow at the University of Otago and Composer-in-Residence at the Dunedin Sinfonia, where he wrote his Symphony No 1. He has worked as a freelance composer since 1994, and has written for a wide variety of performers including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
, the Auckland Philharmonia , Michael Houstoun
and Wilma Smith
. As well as having composed a large variety of vocal and instrumental works he has also written music for theatre and dance. Many of his works have been performed overseas, and a growing number are being recorded and published commercially.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's most prolific composers. His works number over a hundred, and include three symphonies, two operas, seven concertos, choral works, chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
and solo works.
Anthony Ritchie completed a Ph.D. on the music of Béla Bartók
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
in 1987, studying at the Bartók Archives in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. He studied composition with Attila Bozay at the Liszt Academy, and completed his Mus.B (honors) at the University of Canterbury
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
. Upon returning to New Zealand, in succession he took on the posts of Composer-in-Schools in Christchurch, Mozart Fellow at the University of Otago and Composer-in-Residence at the Dunedin Sinfonia, where he wrote his Symphony No 1. He has worked as a freelance composer since 1994, and has written for a wide variety of performers including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
, the Auckland Philharmonia , Michael Houstoun
Michael Houstoun
Michael Houstoun is a concert pianist from New Zealand.Born and educated in Timaru, Houstoun studied piano under Sister Mary Eulalie and Maurice Till in Dunedin and Christchurch...
and Wilma Smith
Wilma Smith
Wilma Smith is a Fijian-born violinist. She was born in Suva, Fiji and raised in Auckland, New Zealand. Smith joined the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as co-concertmaster in 2003. Prior to this she was concertmaster of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra...
. As well as having composed a large variety of vocal and instrumental works he has also written music for theatre and dance. Many of his works have been performed overseas, and a growing number are being recorded and published commercially.
Works
- Concertino for Piano and Strings (1982)
- Piano Concerto (1982)
- Symphony No.1 Boum (1993)
- Flute Concerto (1993)
- Viola Concerto (1994-5)
- Concerto for Soprano Saxophone (1996) Revised in 2002 for release as "Oboe Sonata".
- Guitar Concerto (1997)
- Double Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Cello (1999)
- Symphony No.2 The Widening Gyre (1999)
- The God Boy, opera (2004)
- Quartet, opera (2003)
- Symphony No. 3 (2010)