Biography

Anthony Ritchie completed a Ph.D. on the music of Bartok in 1987, studying at the Bartok Archives in Budapest. He also studied composition with Attila Bozay at the Liszt Academy, and completed his Mus.B (Honours) at the University of Canterbury. During this time his Concertino for Piano and Strings was recorded onto LP by Kiwi Pacific.

In 1987 he was Composer-in-Schools in Christchurch, before moving to Dunedin as Mozart Fellow (1988-9) at the University of Otago. Anthony was Composer-in-Residence with the Dunedin Sinfonia in 1993-94, completing his Symphony No. 1 “Boum. He freelanced from 1995-2002, writing commissioned works for performers as diverse as the NZSO, Class Act Opera, and Footnote Dance Company. In 2000 his Symphony No.2 was premiered by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at the International Festival of the Arts, and was followed up by the comic opera Quartet at the 2004 Festival. Anthony has composed film music in collaboration with Natural History NZ, including Southern Journeys (2000) and Timeless Land (2003). In 2004 his opera, The God Boy, was a critically acclaimed success at the Otago Arts Festival, and in 2005 his 24 Piano Preludes were released on CD by Atoll, also to good reviews. In 2006 a CD of Ritchie’s chamber music was released by Kiwi Pacific Records, and his symphonies were released in 2007 on that label.

Anthony now holds a 0.8 position as senior lecturer in composition at University of Otago, as well as free-lance composing. His works are regularly performed in New Zealand, and increasingly overseas as well, most notably the Flute Concerto.

Selected Works

• Publications (7)
• Performances (1)
• Works (193)
• Awards (9)
• Related Resources (3)