Gareth Farr
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Gareth Farr ONZM |
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Farr in 2011
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| Born |
29 February 1968 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Other names | Lilith LaCroix |
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Gareth Vincent Farr, ONZM (born 29 February 1968) is a New Zealand composer and percussionist. He has released a number of classical CDs and composed a number of works performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) and Royal New Zealand Ballet. He has also performed in drag under the name Lilith LaCroix in a show called Drumdrag and has also released a CD under that name.
Farr was born in Wellington in 1968. He began his studies at the University of Auckland in composition, orchestration and electronic music. While studying there, he performed as a member of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) and the Karlheinz Company. Farr was always available as a performer to play new works by other composers. Returning to Wellington in 1988 for further study at Victoria University of Wellington, he gained note for his compositions, at this time becoming increasingly excited with exploring the Indonesian gamelan. He played percussion frequently with the NZSO before going to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York for advanced study.
Farr became the composer in residence with Chamber Music New Zealand at 25, the youngest person to hold that post. In 1994, he had four works commissioned for the 1994 International Festival of the Arts including Lilith's Dream of Ecstasy and works for flautist Alexa Still and pianist Michael Houstoun as well as a ballet. In 1996 he signed to music publisher Promethean Editions becoming a founding house composer.
His work From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs was specially commissioned for the 50th anniversary of the NZSO. Farr also wrote an orchestral piece Te Papa for the opening of Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand, in 1998.
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