Michael Norris is a composer, software developer and music theorist. He teaches composition at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and directs Stroma New Music Ensemble. He is the recipient of the 2001 Mozart Fellowship, the 2003 Douglas Lilburn Prize, the 2012 CANZ Trust Fund Award, and won the SOUNZ Contemporary Award four times, in 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020. He has had works performed at festivals such as Donaueschinger Musiktage, and received premieres by performers including the Hilversum Radio Chamber Orchestra, Peter Eötvös, Ensemble Nikel, Soundinitiative, Roberto Fabbriciani, the NZSO, DSO, CSO, NZSQ, NZTrio, the Viennese Saxophonic Orchestra, Ensemble Offspring, Ensemble Reconsil, and the Ensemble Pierrot Lunaire Wien.

In 2023, Michael’s work Waipounamu for solo violin and electronics was performed by the 16 semifinalists of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition, and in 2025, his piano trio The Spaces In Between, a commission from the Asian Composers League, was premiered in Tokyo. Michael’s audio software SoundMagic Spectral and Spindrift is widely used in both industry and academia worldwide, by artists such as Aphex Twin and Brian Eno. Michael is also deeply committed to developing the musical ecosystems of Aotearoa: in addition to being co-founder/co-director of Stroma, he also fundraises for and manages the NZSM Composer-in-Residence schemes, serves on the board of SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music, and is the Editor of Wai-te-ata Music Press. Michael’s debut CD Rerenga featuring his prize-winning works from the last 10 years will be released on the Rattle Records label in late 2025.