Charles
A.
Martin
Pianist / Performer / Composer
Contact
Email: charlesmartinpianist@gmail.com
Phone: (971)272-5945
Achievments
Featured in Michael Allen Harrison's "The Ten Grands" April 2023, June 2024
Selected as featured pianist in Michael Allen Harrison's Spring Concert at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Downtown Portland, OR. The following year was commissioned "A Crocodile Fantasy" for 8-Hands at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts.
National Finalist MTNA Senior Composition Competiton 2022-2023
Won State, Regionals, and competed against six other National Finalists in MTNA's Senior Composition Competition.
OMTA Honored Composer for 2023 Composition Festival
Composed "The Gladiator" for Four Hands (one piano) for OMTA's 2023 Composition Festival and received the title of Honored Composer.
Prize Winner of Monday Musical Club for Piano Performance 2023
Prize Winner in Portland's Monday Musical Club Awards Competition.
Composition Featured by Chamber Music Northwest's "The Young Artist Institute" 2023, and 2024
Chosen as a composer in Chamber Music Northwest's 2023 "Young Artist Institute" with Poet Belen Mendoza Cortes. Music performed by the D'Beri String Quartet. Was then asked back for a second comission 2024 which was premiered by the Spirit Quartet.
Written for Portland's Metropolitan Youth Symphony
Commissioned "The Steadfast Tin Soldier", a Symphonic Fairytale by Portland's Metropolitan Youth Symphony which was brought on tour to Europe in Spain and Portugual with MYS.
Founder of "The Young Composer's Concert Series"
Founded an Organization dedicated to providing a regular platform for new works written
by young composers.
Interview with All Classical Portland
Interviewed by internationally renown conductor, Dr. Raúl Gómez-Rojas on All Classical Portland's "On Deck with Young Musicians" which aired in June, 2024.
Music by
C. A. Martin
The Crocodile Fantasy. Written and premiered by Charles himself in 2023 with his organization "The Young Composer's Concert Series". Was then performed 4 times the following year: 3 times with orchestral instrumentation, and once with 8-Hands (two pianos).
Bass Clarinet, Violin, Cello, Double Bass, Drumset, Piano
8-Hands (2 Pianos)
A Song of Grief, string quartet. Inspired by the poem "Dwindled Hopes" by Belen Mendoza Cortes. Written for Chamber Music Northwest's "Young Artist Institute", and premiered July 7th, 2023.
A Fantasy in Blue, chamber orchestra. Heavily inspired by George Gershwin, written for Fear No Music's "The Young Composers Project".
See more info on "The Young Composers Project" below
A Chorus of Unlikely Pond Creatures, solo piano. This piece was written in 2019, but was used to compete in MTNA's 2022-2023 Senior Composition Competition, and made Nationals. There is actually a story this piece follows:
"It starts out with the melody of a Trout going about its business: splashing, and swimming as it pleases. But soon, a Mother Osprey comes to catch it and feed it to her young. The Trout, however, is obviously reluctant, and manages to escape the relentless pursuit of the Osprey, and she leaves. Then, out of the reeds comes Mother and Father duckling. They are proud creatures because they are the only pond creatures who can fly. They let their ducklings play in the pond while the Osprey is away, and then the Frogs come out and play, but as the Pond becomes louder and louder, the Osprey returns to catch the Trout. The Trout, now arrogant in its ability to evade, toys with the Osprey. But its arrogance gets the better of him, and the Osprey flies off with the Trout in her talons."
-C. A. Martin
The Steadfast Tin Soldier, A Symphonic Fairytale. Premiered by conductor Raúl Gómez-Rojas and the Metropolitan Youth Symphony on March 3rd, 2024. Below is a review by Journalist, James Bash from the Oregon ArtsWatch:
"Based on the Hans Christian Anderson story with the same name, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Martin’s music portrayed a tragic tale involving metal toys. Martin deftly portrayed the characters with combinations of instruments, such as the bassoon and lower strings for the toy king, and conveyed the events of the story with evocative musical passages: the tin soldier marched about, the princess danced with an elegant legato, and the selfish toy king became aggressive with trumpets blaring. There were some moments in the piece that reminded me of Prokofiev (perhaps Lieutenant Kijé) before chaos ensued with the toy king unleashing his troops on the soldier. The ending expertly captured the fire and the dying embers, with the soldier and the princess melted together.
While the audience enthusiastically acknowledged Martin’s music with cheers and applause, he was blocked from coming to center stage by a wall that was at least waist-high. Martin overcame that challenge by simply hoisting himself and stepping over the wall. That was a feat that I expect never to see a composer do again, but showed Martin’s resolve and pluck and bodes well for his future!"
-James Bash, writer for the Oregon ArtsWatch