Virtuoso violinist adds new string to his bow at UC

Virtuoso violinist adds new string to his bow at UC

With an established international music career based in the United States, jetsetting musician Professor Mark Menzies is answering a trans-Pacific calling from his alma mater, the University of Canterbury’s School of Music, to become the new Head of Performance.

Professor Menzies brings with him an extraordinary depth of experience as a violinist, violist, conductor, pianist and composer and a widely recognised international reputation as a teacher, researcher and instigator.

After completing his MusB(Hons) at Canterbury in 1988, he studied in London, Indiana, and the University of California San Diego, where he completed his PhD in 2010. He has been teaching at CalArts in California since 1999, where he has been Head of Strings teaching viola, violin and chamber music and leading many initiatives that involve staff and students, including curating and performing in festivals and many concerts of new music in downtown Los Angeles.

Specialising in new music of the greatest complexity and virtuosity, but by no means restricting himself to any single time period or style, Professor Menzies’ recent achievements have included arranging and conducting the premiere of a recently discovered piece by John Cage, which had lain undiscovered for 38 years. He performs regularly in and with ensembles including the Formalist Quartet, WasteLAnd, inauthentica, wildUp and the Callithumpian Ensemble.

The repertoire Professor Menzies presents is extremely varied, ranging from the very old to the very new, and he has premiered many significant new works to audiences across America and many other countries. He performs regularly as a soloist and in ensembles, appearing as guest artist in places as far-flung as Greece, Iceland, Brazil and Japan.

Having made his debut appearance with the NZSO in 1988, he has frequently returned to New Zealand throughout his years based in the US, appearing regularly as soloist with the Auckland-based ensemble 175 East, and appearing as soloist in Schnittke's 2nd Concerto Grosso with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in 2014.

The University of Canterbury's Head of Music, Dr Glenda Keam, says she is extremely pleased to have attracted Professor Menzies back to his original University to assume the role of Head of Performance.

“His diverse talents, immense musicality and high-energy creative spirit will supplement recent developments within the School and contribute substantially to the musical activities as we bring much of what we do back to central Christchurch,” she says.

“He has an exemplary pedagogical attitude, which means involving students in a wide range of musical activities – playing alongside the performers in public performances and projects, working with composers on their music as it develops, creating opportunities for new and experimental ventures – thus providing an array of real-world experiences through an apprentice-style training.”

Professor Menzies joins the University as it prepares to move UC Music’s performance activities, along with the Classics programmes and the James Logie Memorial Collection of classical antiquities, to the Arts Centre in 2017. The old Chemistry building near the corner of Hereford Street and Rolleston Avenue is currently being transformed into a purpose-built space over four floors. The central Christchurch location means there will be greater public performance opportunities for UC Music students.

Planning to split his time between New Zealand and the US, Professor Menzies takes up his new role at the University at the start of Semester 2 in July.

ENDS

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