Charles Martin is an 18-year old composer, pianist, actor, entrepreneur and writer. In this episode of On Deck, Raul Gomez-Rojas talks with Charles about all of his interests, as well as his decision to perhaps skip college and make a living in the music world without a degree.
Charles began taking piano lessons when he was 4, and since then has discovered a passion for composing and performing. Charles has had his music performed by numerous groups around Portland including the Portland Youth Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Chamber Music Northwest’s “Young Artist Institute”, the Pacific Rose Ensemble, as part of an organization he has founded called “The Young Composer’s Concert Series”, Fear No Music’s “The Young Composers
Project” workshops, and others.
Beyond being an accomplished young composer, Charles has a passion for musical theater. Since he was 7 years old he has performed in Annie, Peter Pan and other premiere plays around Portland. He is also actively involved with a local theater group called Commission Impact Theater, for which he will be scoring their next play “Saul: Son of Kish”. In the meantime, he is an active composer, writing for Michael Allen Harrison’s “The Ten Grands”, Commission Impact Theater, Chamber Music Northwest’s Young Artist Institute, as well as his own concert series.
