Michelle Scullion

Michelle has more than 34 years experience in the entertainment industries of music, theatre, television, radio, dance and film.

Michelle obtained her Bachelor of Music from Victoria University 1981, ATCL in Speech and Drama, Trinity College London 1977 and Certificate in Executive Music from Wellington Polytechnic 1977.

Performer

As a performer, Michelle is a flute player, vocalist and percussionist.

She fronts her quartet, MSQ, featuring..., a jazz combo playing trad-jazz, latin, blues, funk and ethnic grooves.

This group has performed in and around Wellington for years at festivals, concerts, private functions, jazz venues, cafes and bars.

Her most recent concert of note was for the Kapiti chapter of Amnesty International.

Composer

She is a composer for film, contemporary dance works, theatre, radio, television, public audio-visual displays, and contemporary chamber music.

Although she composes with an international flavour, Michelle’s work certainly shows the influence of the vastness of the New Zealand landscape. 

At times, her work is interspersed with sounds of the Pacific, and the industrial world, which surrounds us.  She works with instruments from Maoritanga and Pacifica, traditional Western instruments and those from the rock and electronic fields and has her own electronic studio.

Several of her soundscapes are currently part of the installations at Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand.

Many of the films and programmes she has composed and recorded for have won awards internationally and continue to be screened around the world.

Recording artist

Michelle is a recording artist with 5 CD’s on her own label, (one being a play-along CD with a tutorial book in improvisation). 

For these CD’s she composed using a wide range of styles, including classical to country, hip-hop grooves to new-age, funk and rock to electronic, and avant-garde.  She also at times incorporates the sounds of the environment within her scores.

Musical director, writer, critic

Michelle has been a musical director for theatre, film, dance and various music ensembles in a wide range of styles.

She is also a columnist writer and music critic.

Michelle’s influences are eclectic. She gets inspiration from the beach, birds, land and the “spiritual safety” of the Kapiti Coast, as well as the continuing developing day-to-day comings and goings.

She is inspired by traditional composers, such as Bach and Mozart, jazz greats such as trumpeter, Miles Davis and flute player, Herbie Mann and rock flute player, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull.

“Talk back” radio, sports commentary and people’s voices interest Michelle from a composer’s point of view. Ethnic world music is another huge interest and influence.

Recently Michelle partook in the very successful show, The Rodwell Monologues, which was held at Bats Theatre during February and March 2009, for the Wellington Fringe Festival.   She was the composer, musical director and one of the six women performers.  

For years she has been and is a guest lecturer at various tertiary institutions – the latest lectures being presented at the New Zealand Film and Television School in Wellington, and at the Department of Film and Theatre, Victoria University.  

She has also completed another season as one of the music tutor/coaches for the Young Musicians Chamber Music Programme held annually at Massey University, during the first half of the year.

To find out more, book a gig or buy a CD, please email Michelle Scullion.

Discount available for purchases of two or more CDs.

 

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