Composer Christopher Blake was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1949. His compositions include a wide variety of music; he has undertaken commissions for all the major music organisations in New Zealand including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Mercury Opera and Chamber Music New Zealand, and for performers and ensembles such as the Auckland Wind Quintet. His music is regularly heard in concerts and broadcasts in New Zealand and overseas, including orchestral performances in Australia, Finland and the USA.

His works have attracted wide critical acclaim and include: Till Human Voices Wake Us (1986) for orchestra and tenor soloist; a Piano Concerto, 'The Coming of Tane Mahuta' (1987); the Clairmont Triptych (1988), for piano and wind quintet which was New Zealand’s entry in the 1989 UNESCO Rostrum of Composers in Paris; Bitter Calm, an opera in two acts premiered at the 1994 New Zealand International Festival of the Arts; and a Symphony, 'The Islands' (1996).

A television version of the opera Bitter Calm was telecast nationally in December 1994, and a number of Blake's works have also been released on compact disc.

Recent works include Tranquilla sia l’onda (1998) for wind octet; Auckland! (1999), an orchestral fanfare; and Angel at Ahipara for string orchestra, which was premiered in the USA at the beginning of 2000.

Premieres scheduled for 2002 include an orchestral work The Furnace of Pihanga, to be given by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and a violin concerto. The 'Christ’s College Concerto' was commissioned to celebrate 150 years of the school and will be performed in a gala concert by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in the latter part of the year.

Christopher Blake completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) degree at the University of Canterbury (NZ) before resuming an early interest in music. After graduating from the University of Canterbury School of Music he left New Zealand to travel and to further his studies. Most of this time was spent living and working in England apart from periods of extensive travel in Asia and Europe. Post-graduate studies in composition were undertaken at the University of Southampton School of Music from which he graduated in 1976.

On his return to New Zealand he took up the post of Secretary Manager of the Canterbury Orchestra in Christchurch, leaving two years later to become General Manager of the National Opera of New Zealand. Since then he has held a number of posts in arts management including General Manager of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Manager of Concert FM, the fine music network of Radio New Zealand. He was foundation Chief Executive of New Zealand’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs for six years from 1991 before assuming his current position at the National Library of New Zealand as Chief Executive and National Librarian.

Christopher Blake is married to Cathy. They have three children and live in Wellington, New Zealand.