Arna Morton
One of Aotearoa's most versatile violinists, Dr. Arna Morton is a deeply passionate performer, music educator, and composer, comfortable on practically any stage as a soloist, chamber musician, improviser, and orchestral performer. As long as there is an audience, a few lights, and sequins, Arna will bring her dazzling virtuosity and her A game.
Following the completion of both Bachelor and Master of Musical Arts degrees at the New Zealand School of Music with Associate Professor and NZSQ Violinist, Helene Pohl, Arna completed her PhD in Violin Performance at the University of Melbourne supervised by Dr. Curt Thompson.
Using a critical, reflexive approach, Arna's PhD research examines the development of a highly-personal interpretive methodology that aims to create personal authenticity in her musical interpretations and performances, with a significant focus on Britten's Violin Concerto, which she performed with the University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2016 as winner of the 2015 MCM Concerto Competition. Arna was also joint-winner of the 2013/14 NZ National Concerto Competition, going on to perform both Szymanowski's First Violin Concerto and Ravel's Tzigane with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
In 2021, Arna won the position of Principal 2nd Violin with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and is a founding member of Morton Trio alongside her horn-playing husband Alex Morton and pianist Liam Wooding.
Arna is also a renowned educator through the joint teaching studio Morton Music she shares with her husband located in The Piano, Christchurch, where she mostly teaches advanced students preparing for tertiary-level examinations and competitions.
As an award-winning composer (NZSO Todd Young Composer Award 2011), Arna has also recently rekindled her love for the craft after nearly a decade away from the manuscript – her latest work Summer for Horn Trio will feature on Morton Trio's debut album with a fresh, new style of writing that is markedly different from her previous works.
And while such a varied career in music fills up much of Arna's cup, she's always felt the urge to dabble in a completely unrelated side hustle. Beginning first as a content creator on Instagram and Youtube (@arnaalayne) sharing beauty, travel, and other lifestyle content, Arna has now turned her focus to growing a DIY Home Renovation account (@arnaabode) as she transforms her small, coastal house into a home one DIY project at a time. Husband Alex is lovingly referred to as “the apprentice” around the Morton household when it comes to Reno projects, and the two are currently building and installing their own kitchen from scratch, due to *hopefully* be completed by September.