SAMUEL GRAY COMPOSER
& PIANIST

Composer, pianist & translator

Samuel Hamish Gray is a New Zealand–born composer and pianist based in Austria, and a graduate of the Universities of Oslo and Vienna. His work is shaped by a background spanning classical, jazz and free improvisation, and by long-standing engagement with European musical and cultural traditions since relocating to Europe at the age of 18. His compositions often carry an underlying social and political awareness, expressed through a personal and evolving musical language.

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Largely self-taught as a composer, Gray has complemented his independent development with masterclasses led by established European and American composers. His works have been performed internationally in multiple countries, including orchestral, chamber and ensemble settings. His first orchestral commission – a symphony for youth orchestra – was premiered in Latvia in 2019.

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In addition to his creative work, Gray has contributed to the professional community as a board member of the Upper Austrian Composers’ Association.

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Although based in Austria, he maintains a strong connection to Aotearoa New Zealand as his tūrangawaewae. He is of Ngāti Māmoe–Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Kahungunu, as well as Scottish, German Jewish and English descent.