Kiwi tenor tops UK classical charts
03 Oct 2008
New Zealand singer Will Martin has become the youngest tenor in musical history to reach #1 in the British classical charts.
The 24-year-old, now based in London, soared to the top with his debut album ‘A New World’, outselling the rest of the top five put together.
The album, which had already made platinum sales in New Zealand in less than six weeks, was released in the United Kingdom on September 22.
Life-time of dues
For someone of his age, Will Martin has already packed in a life-time of paying his dues - school musicals, playing piano in bars, waiting tables, corporate entertaining and singing in rock bands, he’s done them all.
Will, who is part-Maori, has also had the honour of singing New Zealand’s national anthem in front of a sold-out All Blacks crowd at Eden Park, in his home-town of Auckland.
Until his teenage years, Will Martin was just another sports-mad kiwi kid. However, he eventually discovered that at 1.77m (5’10), he was too slight for the national obsession of rugby. Instead, he excelled in tennis, football and kempo in which he achieved a black belt by 12 years.
Musical tradition
Musical tradition was not a part of Will’s early family life, but he says music took over his teenage years.
"I just decided I’d give it my all and I didn’t have time for anything else. By the time I was 16, I had stopped playing sport, stopped doing my homework which, admittedly, didn’t make my maths teacher very happy."
A New World
‘A New World’ is an epic collection of classical crossover songs. Recorded with the Prague Philarmonia, the selection of songs - including ‘Hine E Hine’ - reflects Will’s origins and the scope of his ambition.
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