Profiles
Martin Scheuregger – Biography
Martin Scheuregger was born in Norwich where he started his musical studies as a drummer and percussionist. Whilst studying at school and then sixth form, Martin enjoyed playing with professional as well as educational ensembles. He gained much professional experience from playing with the early music group Minstrels Gallery, an ensemble directed by his musician parents. With the ensemble, Martin travelled extensively playing in venues from the British Museum to Cambridge University to the Globe Theatre as well as appearing on radio and television and as working in the studio for the group and others. He has also played with and recorded for several rock and pop bands. It was almost unavoidable that Martin would turn to music for a career!
In 2007 Martin moved to York to undertake a music degree at the University of York. In his first year he won the Wilfrid Mellers Music Prize for academic achievement and went on to win the Edd Burrell prize in his second year for demonstrating 'enthusiasm, promise and achievement'. He also took on a role with the Chimera Ensemble: playing, composing and working on the committee which in his third year at the university he now chairs. He also plays with the University Symphony and Chamber Orchestras with whom he toured in 2008.
In 2009 he played a big part in running the Spring Festival of New Music as a member of the first student committee and in now chairs the committee as festival manager for 2010.
As a percussionist he has experience playing in many types of ensembles from medieval to contemporary, though now specialises in small groups playing contemporary repertoire. He is especially interested in playing music in which percussion acts as a fully functioning part of an ensemble and is currently working on pieces by Xenakis and Stockhausen. He is currently studying with Damien Harron, with whom he is specialising in contemporary solo percussion repertoire.
As a composer, Martin has had works performed by The Chimera Ensemble and The Stranded Ensemble. He won the 2009 Chimera Undergraduate Commission, and is currently composing for its premiere in December 2009. He is also working on his own composition projects, including the Erasmus Project, an interdisciplinary project that will result in a show involving music, dance, film, speech and more to be performed March 2010.