Christian Blaha, Composer
Composition Program Coordinator | The Netherlands

Christian Blaha was born on July 20th 1972 in Middelburg, The Netherlands. From the age of six he received piano lessons from both his parents and Gé Audenaert and Leen de Broekert at the Zeeland Musicschool. At the age of twelve—inspired by the frequent study of contemporary work and by listening to pop and movie-soundtracks—he started to experiment with writing his own compositions.

After finishing high school he studied Composition (MA) for which he graduated Cum Laude, Piano and Choral Conducting (MA) at the Tilburg Conservatory with, amongst others, Alexandre Hrisanide (a pupil of Nadia Boulanger) and Paul Komen. He then studied orchestral conducting with Ed Spanjaard in Amsterdam and after extensive research he obtained a PhD-degree from the University of Utrecht.

As a composer, Blaha has a prolific output – concerti, vocal works, solo- and chamber music, symphonic poems, symphonies and music for theater and film - which was partly created thanks to his untamable curiosity for the historical, as well as the contemporary musical practice, form and content.
In remembrance of Richard Strauss’ motto “Interesting music does not exist, only good or bad”, Blaha combines Gregorian chant with contemporary (pop)music which greatly contributes to the inspiration for the crystallization of his artwork which is currently being prepared to be published by DONEMUS (publishing house of contemporary music).

Additionally, Blaha is frequently commissioned to compose or create arrangements for high profile (inter)national events, as well as succesful ensembles, orchestras and musicians, such as the ‘Festival van Vlaanderen’, ‘Zeeland Nazomerfestival’, ‘Festival Woordnacht Rotterdam’, ‘Nieuwe Kerk Amsterdam', ‘Limburgs Symfonie Orkest’, ‘Nederlands Promenade Orkest’, ‘Xenakis Ensemble’, ‘Nieuw Amsterdams Peil’, ‘Belcanto Strings’, Pianoduo Post/Mulder, Mathieu van Bellen, Dutch rockband ‘Peer’, Peter Slager (Blof), Rik Mol, Stephan Geuzebroek and Glennis Grace. Internationally acclaimed conductors like Antony Hermus, Ivan Meylemans and Ed Spanjaard have premiered diverse works from his symfonic output.

Blaha is founder of the professional chamber orchestra ‘TY’—with which he as artistic director/conductor successfully brought new works in the spotlight for over a decade—and the semiprof. choir Melopoeia - who’s aim it is to perform brand new work, as well as ancient, forgotten music.

For more then a decade Christian Blaha passionately teaches the art of Composition at University College ‘Roosevelt’; the International Honours College from the University of Utrecht, which is located in the charming city center of Middelburg, in Zeeland the Netherlands.