Christian Martínez began his musical studies in his home town of Cali in Colombia. Later he continued at the Manhattan School of Music in New York and at the Rogaland Music Academy in Stavanger, Norway. He completed his studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen in 1996; the same year as he became a member of the Esbjerg Ensemble. 

 

Christian Martínez has as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral percussionist and timpanist, performed at several festivals and concerts throughout Scandinavia, Europe, the USA, Latin America and Asia.

 

In 2010 Christian Martinez released his solo CD, Rhythmical Séance, which included Per Nørgård’s I Ching and was the starting point for a collaboration with Per Nørgård that resulted in two new works featured on a new Dacapo Records CD: Sceneries for Percussion and Ensemble: the concerto for percussion and ensemble Three Scenes and the solo work Arabesques I, II, III, both works written for and dedicated to Christian Martínez and the Esbjerg Ensemble. 

 

In 2021 Christian performed Unsuk Chin’s, Allegro ma non troppo during the celebration concerts of Sonning Awards held in Copenhagen, where she was awarded the Soning Prize. In 2022 Christian Martinez celebrated Per Nørgård’s 90th birthday by performing his solo percussion cyklus I Ching at Rued Langgaard Music Festival. As part of the celebration he also performed his solo percussion work Arabesques, that was written and dedicated to Christian Martinez. He is focusing on performing of newly written works for chamber music and solo in collaboration with younger composers.