A SPORTY schoolboy who taught himself piano listening to his dad’s records, Will Martin seems an unlikely classical chart-busting sensation. Aged only 24, this New Zealander was the youngest tenor to top UK Classic album sales with A New World. He also managed this platinum feat in the southern hemisphere.
A couple of years on, this self-managed maverick returns to Limerick for his only public Irish concert so far on September Saturday 18 in UCH.
Will Martin’s other success has been to orchestrate every note of his career to date. The programmes, recordings, concert choices, countries and contract with producer Simon Franglea are his own determination.
As tall and lean as a deer rifle, Martin gives a no-frills appraisal of what’s what to the Limerick Post.
“I think of myself as an entertainer,” he says. “I’m the one who can’t be pigeonholed. It is very hard to specialise [in classical music] in New Zealand and most of my work over years has been for the private corporate sector”.
Used to the schtick that ‘crossover’ artists don’t meet the same prestige, he agrees wholeheartedly. “I make no claims. You don’t see the word ‘classical’ mentioned on my album”.
Thus Will Martin’s Limerick concert in UCH will be backed by Classical String Quartet and the jazz oriented John Daly Trio, vocals boosted by professional local singers – Ian and Jean McGlynn, for example.
“The programme will be decided by me,” he says, “and variety is key. I hope to present something for everyone, beginning in classical and moving on to musical theatre”.
This UCH exclusive is his first exposure to Ireland other than by album sales and radio play. It comes about through local man Tony Bradley having seen him seen him sing the NZ national anthem on television prior to a rugby game.
“I’ve followed his career ever since and wanted very much to bring him to a potential Irish audience”, says Bradley, who has nought to do with the music industry.
Looking back on a happy upbringing, Will Martin says there was nothing in his background – Maori-British descent, professional class – to suggest there was ‘a voice’ emerging but a stint in school musical got him apprenticed aged 14 to top NZ singing coach Janice Webb.
That cool, independent streak saw him leave school early and work for years in top restaurants. As a waiter.
“it was a great time for me, led by my love of food and wine. Then I got my first job as a singer in the Hard Rock Café in Dubai and I have to say my first full time job as a performer was amazing and certainly, an eye-opener”.
Back home in New Zealand he set up the Will Martin Trio for his own repertoire “in jazz, classical, ethnic music. We started out for free as no-one had heard of me but slowly and surely, I became one of the top corporate products”.
Spending six months of the year in Britain, where the brilliance of professional musicianship has him in thrall, he returns to NZ for a string of lucrative Christmas commitments and to launch his next album, recording now with Prague Philharmonic.
His time in Ireland is unique so book now for the Saturday 18 treat, 8pm, www.uch.ie. Boy wonders don’t get better than this.
