Contact details
michael.norris@vuw.ac.nz | michaelnorris.info
Short biography
I am a composer, software developer and music theorist employed at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. In addition to being a senior academic, I am Artistic Director of Stroma New Music Ensemble, Editor of Wai-te-ata Music Press, and Board Member of SOUNZ The Centre for New Zealand Music. I have received numerous awards and residencies, including the Mozart Fellowship, Orchestra Wellington Composer-in-Residence, At the World’s Edge Composer-in-Residence, the Composers Association of New Zealand Citation and four SOUNZ Contemporary Awards. My works have been performed worldwide by ensembles such as Ensemble Offspring, NZSO, Soundinitiative, Ensemble Nikel, the New Zealand String Quartet, NZTrio and Ensemble Reconsil, and my two audio software suites, SoundMagic Spectral and Spindrift, are used globally.
Education
CITY UNIVERSITY, London October 1997–September 1998
MA in electroacoustic composition (distinction)
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON, New Zealand March 1995–October 1996 BMus(Hons) in composition and sonic arts (distinction)
Academic Appointments
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON, New Zealand February 2004–present
Associate Professor and Programme Director, Composition & Sonic Arts
In this full-time permanent position, I have designed, taught and coordinated multiple courses in composition, orchestration, sonic arts, music theory and creativity for twenty years. I have held many leadership roles over that time, overseeing substantial curriculum revisions, programme developments, philanthropic projects and external industry collaborations.
University positions/roles held
- 2025–: chair, NZSM Teaching and Learning Committee
- 2025–: member, FHSS Te Maruako Aronui Learning Teaching Equity Committee, VUW
- 2025–: member, Faculty Academic Committee, VUW
- 2007–: Programme Director, Composition
- 2019–: Associate Professor
- 2007–: member, NZSM Leadership Strategy Group/Executive Committee
- 2024: member, VUW Subjects/Qualifications/Courses review advisory working group
- 2024: advisor, VUW review of policy on postgraduate supervision
- 2015: member, VUW PBRF review committee
- 2012–: editor, Wai-te-ata Music Press
- 2008–: coordinator, NZSM Composer-in-Residence scheme
- 2010–: NZSM liaison, National Music Centre project
- 2007–: member of NZSM Academic Committee/Curriculum Development Working Group
Curriculum development initiatives
- 2024: Established an Orchestral Studies collaboration with the NZSO through the MFA(CP)
- 2017: Established and coordinated NZSM’s first suite of internships for composers
- 2017: Significant rewrite of the Composition/Sonic Arts pathways in the BMus
- 2017: Establishment of minors in Sonic Arts and Music Technology/Composition
- 2016: Co-designed the Master of Fine Arts (Creative Practice) (MFA-CP) degree
- 2020: Major rewrite of the Classical and Jazz Performance majors of the BMus
- 2011: Established dual pathways in Instrumental Composition and Sonic Arts in the BMus
- 2009: Contributed to the development of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
- 2007: Contributed to the development of the Master of Musical Arts (MMA)
Other achievements
- Since 2012, I have supervised and examined 16 Honours portfolios, 9 Masters theses and 12 PhD/DMA theses to completion
- In 2019, I raised around $150,000 in funds for the NZSM Composer-in-Residence Endowment Fund, and created a 25-year investment plan, in order to eventually fund the salary with the interest
- Since 2007, I have been the NZSM Composer-in-Residence scheme director/liaison.
- I have been the Artistic Director of Stroma New Music Ensemble for over 25 years, premiering over 70 new New Zealand works and giving repeat performances to more than 50 works.
- I have been the editor for Wai-te-ata Music Press since 2012, responsible for publishing over 40 new New Zealand scores
- I have recently undertaken multiple collaborations with taonga puoro artists Jerome Kavanagh and Alistair Fraser, reflecting critically on ethical and respectful forms of collaboration between indigenous and Western spaces
- I have developed two suites of audio software—SoundMagic Spectral and Spindrift—that are used in studios worldwide, including by Aphex Twin and Brian Eno.
External appointments/contracts
- At the World’s Edge Festival, Composer-in-Residence, 2026
- SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music, Board Member, 2022–
- Stroma New Music Ensemble, Artistic Director, 2000–
- Ensemble Offspring (Sydney), member of International Advisory Panel, 2018–
- Wai-te-ata Music Press, Editor, 2012–
- SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music, Chair of Composers Advisory Panel, 2019–2021
- Orchestra Wellington, Composer-in-Residence, 2017–2018
- Lilburn Residence Trust, Trustee/Secretary, 2007–2022
- Mozart Fellow (University of Otago Composer-in-Residence), 2002–2003
- Asian Composers League, Executive Committee Member/Secretary, 2001–2003
- Southern Sinfonia, Composer-in-Residence, 2001–2002
Awards/Scholarships
- Philip Neill Memorial Prize Winner, 2022
- SOUNZ Contemporary Award Winner, 2020
- SOUNZ Contemporary Award Winner, 2019
- SOUNZ Contemporary Award Winner, 2018
- CANZ KBB Citation for Services to NZ Music, on behalf of Stroma 2016
- SOUNZ Contemporary Award Winner, 2014
- SOUNZ Contemporary Award Finalist, 2013
- CANZ Trust Fund Award for compositional achievements 2011
- Trans-Tasman Composer Award 2010
- SOUNZ Contemporary Award Finalist, 2009
- SOUNZ Contemporary Award Finalist, 2004
- Douglas Lilburn Prize (NZSO/Concert FM) Winner, 2004
- Music 2000 Prize (NZSO/Concert FM) Finalist, 2000
- Commonwealth Scholarship City University, London, 1997
- Bourges International Sound Software Competition Special Mention, 1996
International Festival/Conference Presentations
- Asian Composers League 33rd Festival 2025, Kawasaki, Japan: special commission (The Spaces in Between)
- 48th World Conference of the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance (ICTMD), Wellington (paper on co-creation with taonga puoro)
- Melbourne Music Analysis Summer School, Melbourne, 2017—invited keynote speaker
- International Computer Music Conference, Perth, 2013
- Asian Composers League Festival/Conference 2011, Taiwan (Sgraffito presented)
- Donaueschingen Musiktage 2010 (Sgraffito presented)
- Music and Evolutionary Thought Conference, Durham, 2007 (paper on L-Systems in music)
- Acanthes New Music Festival 2007 (tesserae…interstices presented)
- Ostrava Days Music Festival 2007 (Splinter Cells presented)
- Asian Composers League Festival/Conference 2009, Seoul (Volti presented)
- Asian Composers League Festival/Conference 2000, Yokohama (Momenta presented)
Other invited roles
- Tarling Trust Emerging Composer Award, Appointment panel member, SOUNZ/NZSO, 2024
- Mozart Fellow 2024 (University of Otago), Appointment panel member
- Chamber Music New Zealand, Adjudicator, Composition Prize, 2024
- Mozart Fellow 2022 (University of Otago), Appointment panel member
- Trans-Tasman APRA Art Music Award panel member, 2021
- NZSO Todd Young Composer Prize, Official Composer Mentor, 2015
Compositions/Albums
- SoundCathedral, concert installation for ensemble, choir and taonga puoro ensembles, Aotearoa New Festival of the Arts, Mar 2026.
- Rerenga, album of works for orchestra & ensemble, Rattle Records (NZ), Nov 2025.
- Partial Forms, album of works for cello & electronics, WhatNot Records (Canada). Jul 2025.
- The Spaces in Between for piano trio. Commissioned by the Asian Composers League, premiered at Kawasaki Symphony Hall, Japan. Feb 2025. Subsequent performance in Wellington.
- Cirrus Drift for cello & live electronics. Premiered by Stroma at the City Gallery Wellington, May 2024. Subsequent performance at Classical on Cuba, 2025.
- In the Rangitaki Valley for soprano & piano. Premiered by Sherry Grant and Tessa Romano. Otago University, Nov 2023.
- Another Time for guzheng, cello & percussion. Premiered by Forum Music, Sheffield University, Oct 2023. Subsequent performances in Taipei.
- Waipounamu for solo violin & fixed media. Premiered by the 16 semifinalists in the 2023 Michael Hill Violin Competition, Jun 2023.
- Oro Rua Rangi ki te Whenua (60-minute version) for taonga puoro & octophonic live electronics. Premiered at Classical on Cuba 2023.
- Oro Rua Rangi ki te Whenua (10-minute version) for taonga puoro & octophonic live electronics. Premiered at the Australasian Computer Music Conference, Aug 2022. Subsequent performance at the 48th World Conference of the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance (ICTMD).
- Horizon Fields for piano trio. Premiered by NZTrio, Wellington, May 2022. Subsequent performance in Auckland.
- In Drifts for violin & percussion. Premiered by Justin DeHart & Mark Menzies, Dec 2021.
- Entangled Time for solo cello. Premiered by Sévérine Ballon, Aug 2019.
- Rerenga for taonga puoro, orchestra & live electronics. Premiered by New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (cond. Carlos Kalmar) and Alistair Fraser (taonga puoro), Jul 2019. Subsequent performances in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Napier & Dunedin.
- Violin Concerto ‘Sama’ for violin & orchestra. Premiered by Orchestra Wellington (cond. Marc Taddei) & Amalia Hall (violin), Dec 2018.
- Tidal Flow for amplified percussion quartet & mechatronic instruments. Premiered by Stroma, NZ Festival 2018, Hannah Playhouse, Mar 2018.
- Sygyt for throat singer, ensemble & live quadraphonic electronics. Premiered by Stroma, cond. Hamish McKeich, Jonny Marks (throat singer), City Gallery Wellington, Nov 2017.
- Zali for mixed ensemble. Premiered by Ensemble Nikel, Hunter Council Chamber, Aug 2017.
- To the names that have left. Premiered by Baroque Voices, Adam Concert Room, May 2017.
- Deep Field IV for soprano saxophone & electronics. Premiered by Joshua Hyde, VUW, Apr 2017. Subsequent performances in UK.
- Deep Field III for flute & electronics. Premiered by Abigail Sperling. Auckland University, Apr 2016.
- Voices for string quartet. Premiered by New Zealand String Quartet. Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, Hangzhou, China, Dec 2015.
- Mesophase for chamber ensemble. Premiered by Stroma, Sacred Heart Basilica, Nov 2015.
- Khoomei Loops for ensemble. Premiered by soundinitiative, VUW, Aug 2015.
- Claro for symphony orchestra. 15 mins. Commissioned by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Premiered Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, May 2015. Subsequent performance in Auckland.
- Gyri for mixed ensemble. 10 mins. Commissioned by Ensemble Reconsil (Vienna). Premiered as part of the “Exploring the World” series, Joseph Haydn Hall, Music University of Vienna, Dec 2014.
- Phospheni for flute & cello. 6 mins. Commissioned by Sévérine Ballon and Mark Knoop. Premiered at City University of London, Oct 2014.
- Deep Field II for violin & eight-channel live electronics. 8 mins. Commissioned by Barbara Lüneburg. Premiered at Adam Concert Room, Victoria University of Wellington, Sept 2014.
- Prolation canon on a Hurrian Hymn to Nikkal for spatialised string quartet. 8 mins. Commissioned by Stroma. Premiered St Matthew in the City, Auckland, Jun 2015. Subsequent performances in Wellington.
- Inner Phases for string quartet & Chinese instrument ensemble. 18 mins. Commissioned by the New Zealand String Quartet and the Forbidden City Chamber Orchestra (Beijing). Premiered at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington, Mar 2014. Subsequent performances in Auckland and Beijing.
- Deep Field I for bass-baritone & eight-channel live electronics. 8 mins. Commissioned by Nicholas Isherwood. Premiered at Adam Concert Room, Victoria University of Wellington, Aug 2013. Subsequent performances in Los Angeles and Lisbon.
- Prolation canon on a theme by Hildegard von Bingen for spatialised string quartet. 8 mins. Commissioned by Stroma. Premiered Wellington, Apr 2013.
- Heart Across Night for trombone, double bass & drumkit. 8 mins. Commissioned by David Bremner. Premiered by Stroma, Downstage Theatre, Wellington, Dec 2012.
- La fugicità del suono for flute & live electronics. 10 mins. Commissioned by and premiered by Roberto Fabbriciani, Hunter Council Chamber, Wellington, Dec 2012.
- Time Dance for 2 violins, cello, piano & live electronics. 47 mins. Commissioned by Good Company Arts. Premiered by Stroma at the Body Dance Festival, Christchurch, Oct 2012. Subsequent Performances in Auckland and Wellington.
- Tre Capricci Sussurati for solo soprano saxophone. 6 mins. Premiered by Simon Charles, Richmond Uniting Church, Melbourne, Apr 2012.
- Save Yourself for mixed ensemble, melodicas & sinewave generator. 10 mins. Commissioned by the Ensemble Offspring (Sydney) and the Australian Music Centre. Premiered at the Sydney Opera House, Mar 2012
- De Corporis Fabrica for solo amplified clarinet. 40 mins. Commissioned by Richard Haynes. Premiered at the ‘New Zealand at Kings Place’ Festival, London, Mar 2012. Subsequent performances in Wellington and Cologne
Software, articles, conference papers
- ‘Oro rua rangi ki te whenua: taonga puoro, extended timbre & organic sound transformation’, 48th World Conference of the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance (ICTMD), Jan 2025
- spindrift~. Multichannel real-time granular synthesis external with automated spatial trajectories, for Max/MSP
- SoundMagic Spectral. A suite of 23 real-time FFT-based spectral processing plug-ins for Mac OS. Used by film studios and electronic musicians worldwide, including Brian Eno and Charlie Clouser
- ‘Wood, bone, breath: materiality, liminality and transformation in a new work for taonga puoro, live electronics and orchestra’, Naxos Musicology Online, 2023
- ‘Harmonic stratification in the instrumental and electronic music of Douglas Lilburn’ in Searches for Tradition: Past & Present in New Zealand Music, VUP, 2017
- ‘Blind Light: towards the morphology of an idea’, in Shifting Ground: CANZ Conference 2017, University of Canterbury, April 2017
- ‘Inscapes and Soundscapes: Semantic, Harmonic, Timbral, and Spatial Stratification in Lilburn’s Electroacoustic Music’, in Searches For Tradition: 2015 Meeting Of The New Zealand Musicological Society, 2015
- ‘SPIN/DRIFT: a real-time spatialised granular synthesis algorithm with particle system physics & behaviours’, Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference 2013, Perth, Australia
- ‘Crystalline aphorisms: commentary and analysis of Jenny McLeod’s Tone Clock Pieces I–VII’, Canzona 26, 47 (2006), pp. 74-86
- ‘Tessellations and Enumerations: generalising chromatic theories’, Canzona 26, 47 (2006), pp. 87-95