17 Facts About Gareth Farr

Gareth Vincent Farr was born on 29 February 1968 and is a New Zealand composer and percussionist.

Gareth Farr has released a number of classical CDs and composed a number of works performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Gareth Farr has performed in drag under the name Lilith LaCroix in a show called Drumdrag and has released a CD under that name.

Gareth Farr began his studies at the University of Auckland in composition, orchestration and electronic music.

Gareth Farr played percussion frequently with the NZSO before going to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York for advanced study.

Gareth Farr became the composer in residence with Chamber Music New Zealand at 25, the youngest person to hold that post.

Gareth Farr has used gamelan instruments or composed for non-gamelan instruments to be played in a gamelan-like way in other compositions such as Siteran for Javanese gamelan and harp, Kebyar Moncar for Victoria's gamelan, Tabuh Pacific for Balinese gamelan and orchestra, and the piano piece Sepuluh Jari.

Gareth Farr wrote an orchestral piece Te Papa for the opening of Te Papa, the National Museum of New Zealand, in 1998.

Gareth Farr has released four CDs of his work on the Trust label with the fifth, Ruaumoko released in early 2006.

Gareth Farr furthered New Zealand gamelan in 2003 purchasing a Balinese Gong Kebyar that is housed at the New Zealand School of Music.

In December 2005 Gareth Farr visited Antarctica as part of Antarctica New Zealand's artist programme, Artists to Antarctica.

In 2008, Gareth Farr was appointed Composer in Residence of the APO.

Gareth Farr composed a memorial piece for the Christchurch earthquake, Nor'West Arch, first performed on 25 September 2011.

Also in 2017, Gareth Farr worked on another NZSO commission, a substantial cello concerto titled Chemin des Dames, with a personal World War I connection.

Alongside Jack Body, Gillian Whitehead and John Psathas, Gareth Farr is one of the noted New Zealand composers.

Since 1997, the cabaret Drumdrag features Lilith playing the drums and Gareth Farr has recorded a CD released under her name.

Gareth Farr promotes himself as an entertainer as well as a composer:.