Norton, Christopher

Arranger & Composer

b New Zealand 1953. Beginning to compose music from the age of 14, at 16 he had his first orchestral work performed and broadcast. After graduating in music from the Univ of Otago, Dunedin (1974), he worked for some years as a pianist, including performances with the NZ Symphony Orchestra, and taught in high schools. Turning to more composition and freelance work, he also played keyboard in a rock band and began to explore links and build bridges between classical and jazz/pop styles. Coming to England in 1977 he studied composition at York Univ. In 1983 came the first of his best-selling series of Micro-Jazz, which has lasted and grown for over 20 years. He has set many older tunes in a modern or jazz style, as well as arranging Jubilate and Kendrick material etc. In 1990 he compiled Christian Classics, containing arrangements of 30 standard hymn tunes in Marshall’s Easy Keyboard series, and he had a key role in editing and arranging the music of Songs from the Psalms (1990) and Hymns for the People (1993). His music has often featured at Spring Harvest (6 items in the published 1998 selection) and he was a leading contributor (mainly as arranger) to Let’s Praise 2, 1994. He has also composed TV advertising jingles. Nos.24B*, 172*, 187*, 218*, 230, 369*, 422*, 434*, 436*, 508*, 617*, 619*, 627*, 664*, 674*, 689, 752*, 759*, 835*, 848*, 953*.