Isaac Shatford

Isaac Shatford is a composer, violinist and pianist based in Christchurch. His works, which have been performed across New Zealand, include an eclectic range of styles; from orchestral and chamber music, to jazz and musical theatre.

In 2017, his orchestral work A Fleeting Fanfare was premiered by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and was later workshopped by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as a finalist in the Todd Young Composer Awards. Prior to that, A Sunset Overture was performed by the New Zealand Secondary Schools' Symphony Orchestra (NZSSSO). As the 2018 recipient of the Audrey Reid Composition Prize, his work The Thing was performed by the Dunedin Youth Orchestra.

One of the winners of NZTrio's inaugural composition competition "Celebrating Lilburn," his piano trio Aeroplanes Over Aotearoa was performed by NZTrio in Auckland and Wellington.

Isaac was commissioned by St Andrew's College to compose Real Mature for 4 violins. The piece was subsequently performed by "Quartetto Maduro" in the 2019 NZCT Chamber Music Contest; the group placed in the national final. Isaac's previous experience with the contest includes winning the Senior Composition award in 2014. His string quartet, Frost and Fire, was performed at the national final.

Isaac composed the music for Suspect, the murder mystery musical, which has been performed in Christchurch and Dunedin. Isaac's own musical A Moment Musical was workshopped at the 2017 Christchurch International Musical Theatre Summer School. In 2019, Gray Eats A Pretzel was workshopped and performed at UMMTA's "The Sitzprobe" in Melbourne.

After graduating from University of Otago with a Bachelor of Music with first-class Honours, majoring in Composition and Performance Violin, Isaac has composed music in an eclectic range of styles – from orchestral and chamber music to jazz and musical theatre. His work has been performed all over New Zealand.

He is currently working with Te Manu Tīoriori Trust, workshopping and recording his musical Ruth, which was inspired by the pandemic. “We have a stellar cast and creative team Zooming in from all over Australasia. When I’m not busy completing the underscore, I’m a permanent section violinist in the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.”