Maria Grenfell (b. 1969) was born in Malaysia, and completed composition studies in Christchurch, New Zealand, the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she was also a lecturer. Maria Grenfell's work takes much of its influence from poetic, literary and visual sources and from non-Western music and literature. Musicians and ensembles that have performed her work include the New Zealand Ensemble, Ethos Trio (NZ), the Esperance Trio (Hobart), the Australia Ensemble, players with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Florida West Coast Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic, and American flutist James Walker. She has had orchestral works performed by the Adelaide, Queensland, Tasmanian, West Australian, and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras, the Auckland Philharmonia and the Auckland Chamber Orchestra. Maria has also been a violinist with the Christchurch Symphony and the New Zealand Youth Orchestra, and has performed bowed piano with the University of Southern California Percussion Ensemble. She is currently a lecturer at the University of Tasmania Conservatorium of Music in Hobart.