Gareth Farr
A New Zealand composer who fuses primal Pacific rhythms with orchestral grandeur, then delivers them in sequins and heels as drag persona Lilith LaCroix.
Born 1968 (age 58)·New Zealand composer, performer and percussionist·Birthday: February 29·Generation X
Biography
Gareth Farr is the rhythmic heartbeat of contemporary New Zealand classical music, a composer-performer whose work pulses with the energy of the Pacific. Trained as a percussionist, his compositions are physically thrilling, built from complex, driving rhythms inspired by Māori, Pacific, and Balinese traditions. He first captured national attention with works like 'From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs,' a piece that announced a bold, new sonic voice. Farr possesses a dual artistic personality. Alongside his serious concert hall output, he created the flamboyant drag character Lilith LaCroix, a sequined percussionist whose 'Drumdrag' shows blend virtuosic drumming with high camp and comedy. This duality—the respected composer and the theatrical diva—defines his unique contribution: he makes classical music visceral, accessible, and wildly entertaining without ever sacrificing its intellectual rigor.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Gareth was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gareth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Gareth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Composed major works for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, including 'Te Tai-O-Rehua' and 'Ruaumoko'.
- Created the long-running theatrical percussion show 'Drumdrag' under his drag persona, Lilith LaCroix.
- Received the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music and entertainment.
- Served as the Composer-in-Residence for the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
Did You Know?
He hand-makes many of the elaborate costumes for his Lilith LaCroix performances.
His composition 'From the Depths Sound the Great Sea Gongs' requires massive, custom-built gongs.
He initially studied composition at the University of Auckland before focusing on percussion at the Victorian College of the Arts.
The name 'Lilith LaCroix' was chosen for its alliterative quality and 'cross' symbolism.
“My music is built from the rhythms of the Pacific, wood, and skin.”
