Biography
Christopher de Groot is a multi genre, multidisciplinary composer who works often in the field of film and theatre. Primarily a pianist with a background in jazz, classical composition and orchestration de Groot has incorporated his interest in new music, electronics, recording techniques, sound design, cult soundtracks and Balinese gamelan into his composition practice.
De Groot studied at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) where he gained a Masters degree in composition. He also taught composition and film music studies there from 2008 – 2014 before moving to Melbourne.
As a film composer de Groot has composed music for several independent feature films and has been nominated for a APRA Screen Music Award [2014], and a West Australian Screen Award four times [2009, 2010, 2011, 2014], winning in 2009 for his work on The Director’s Cut.
De Groot’s distinctive score for Australian independent feature film Sororal [2014] has been labelled “some of the most refreshing and eclectic horror music to be heard in a contemporary film” (Mikael Carlsson – MovieScore Media). The soundtrack gained international interest, being released by acclaimed soundtrack label Screamworks Records (Sweden). It was also nominated for Feature Film Score of The Yearat the 2014 APRA Screen Music Awards alongside David Hirschfelder's The Railway Man and Christopher Gordon's Adoration.
De Groot’s credits include 15 short films, four feature films, seven Melbourne theatre productions, and many stand alone music works. He has also released seven albums of original compositions. In 2016 he received a Green Room Award for his work on the live theatre show Dream Home. De Groot completed composing an 85-minute, one-voice opera based on the 20-hour video diaries of Björk Stalker Ricardo Lopez in 2018.
De Groot is an active member of Gamelan DanAnda (performing Balinese gong kebyar music). He has also taught theory and composition at CollArts (Australian College of the Arts).
Some of de Groot’s past projects include; The Eldridge Trio (live improvised music to accompany silent film), SLIDE NIGHT (7-piece band featuring kitsch exotica music of the 50s and 60s), the two-piano pop band Sir Thomas, and The Uncanny Valley (free improvisation trio featuring analogue electronic instruments, acoustic percussion and live digital manipulation).
“Christopher de Groot is incredible and has created something that falls somewhere between Les Baxter, Delia Derbyshire, John Zorn and Bernard Herrmann. It’s a sci/fi, exotica, noir nightmare and I think people are going to love it.”
“Christopher de Groot ‘s live music ranges from minimalist score to bassy, mood driven soundscapes. Hidden behind the perspex set, his omnipotent presence is felt in the entire production.”
“Christopher de Groot’s music is some of the most refreshing and eclectic horror music to be heard in a contemporary film – while it’s paying tribute to the genre masters (Goblin, Morricone et al) it is also totally unique, challenging and highly original. A nasty score filled with surprises!”
“The event itself was spectacular: the black and white film was mesmerising on the big screen, the amplified ensemble with electronics created a huge sound”
De Groot at the 2014 APRA Screen Music Awards
Melbourne's only 7-piece exotica band SLIDE NIGHT
Brass recording sessions - Sororal
Still shot from Dream Home - photo by Pia Johnson.
Still shot from Persona - photo by Heath McKinley
“The Sororal soundtrack is haunting, eerie and yet discordantly beautiful. Goblin, Tangerine Dream and Morricone can be creepy; this is mind-bending. It’s as if de Groot is channeling Goblin, yet elevating their sound into a modern, more orchestral complexity. ‘Diana Rolls into Town’, for instance, is a masterpiece in re-imagined giallo: histrionic and yet assured and gripping. It makes my head hurt.”
Aaron Sterns – Scriptwriter, Wolf Creek 2