Aeon: Commemorating Martin Lodge

MARTIN LODGE

Born in Tauranga in 1954, Martin studied English and German at the University of Waikato, graduating with an MA in English literature. He went on to do an MMus in composition at Victoria University of Wellington under Douglas Lilburn and David Farquhar, followed by a PhD in composition from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. After spending 13 years as a freelance composer, he accepted the position as Mozart Fellow at the University of Otago in 1990-1991. In 1993, he was the Composer-in-Residence at the Auckland Philharmonia, then in 1995 accepted a position at the Conservatorium of Music at the University of Waikato. He founded the music department at Waikato University and was instrumental in establishing the Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber, an impressive performing arts venue favoured by performers across all disciplines. He was responsible for archiving the works of music historian and writer John Mansfield Thomson, and initiating the study of Māori music for the Bachelor of Music degree, for which he commissioned a set of taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments). He composed several works using taonga pūoro, including Toru (2003, dedicated to Hirini Melbourne), Hau (2005), and Oiche ghealai (aka Moonlit Night, 2009).