Presented by: Professor Mark Menzies

Described in the Los Angeles Times as an ‘extraordinary musician’ and a ‘riveting violinist’, University of Canterbury Professor Mark Menzies’ career as a viola and violin virtuoso, chamber musician and pianist, conductor and advocate of contemporary music, has seen performances in Europe, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and across the United States.

In the upcoming UC Connect public performance lecture, Life in conflict: notes and afterthoughts from a performer/composer, Prof Menzies will perform and discuss his work.

“I lead the life of a musician that pursues writing music, as well as performing it – as a violinist, violist, pianist and conductor. Musical composition and musical performance are activities that normally, and wisely, are separate career paths, since the lifestyle it takes to sustain one or the other is so opposite: performing asks one to be outgoing and ‘in the moment’; composition asks one to retreat and consider carefully every new note wreaked upon the world...” Professor Menzies says.

“This lecture explores how, in negotiating these seemingly contradictory energies, my creativity and even physiological understanding with either activity has been enhanced by embracing a life ‘in conflict’.”

Viola, violin professor and coordinator of conducted ensembles at the California Institute of the Arts, from 1999-2016, where he curated a remarkable series of concerts at REDCAT at Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles, Prof Menzies took up a Professor of Music position at the University of Canterbury in June 2016. Now based in the New Zealand, he is, for parts of the year, resident in the US and other places abroad.

Prof Menzies’ compositions are increasingly played across the globe, with recent premieres in The Netherlands, Italy, Los Angeles, San Diego and Christchurch. He is an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London, an honour bestowed in 2014.

To secure your place at this free public lecture, register here.

The UC Connect public lecture series (replacing What if Wednesdays) offers the community the opportunity to attend topical, interesting, educational lectures on a range of topics given by experts in their fields. To receive notifications on upcoming UC Connect speakers, join our mailing list.

More information

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Email: events@canterbury.ac.nz

UC Connect: Life in Conflict - Notes and afterthoughts from a performer/composer