Anthony Ritchie studied composition at Canterbury University, and completed a Ph.D on the music of Bartok. He studied composition at the Liszt Academy in Hungary, before becoming Composer-in-Schools in Christchurch, in 1987. He moved to Dunedin in 1988 to be Mozart Fellow in composition, at Otago University, and later was Composer-in-residence with the Dunedin Sinfonia completing his Symphony No. 1 Boum.
He freelanced from 1995-2002, writing many commissioned works for performers as diverse as the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Class Act Opera, and The Australian Song Company. In 2000 his Symphony No.2 was premiered by The Auckland Philharmonia at the International Festival of the Arts. The comic opera "Quartet" also featured at the 2004 Festival. Anthony Ritchie has composed film music in collaboration with Natural History NZ, including "Southern Journeys" (2000). In 2004 his opera "The God Boy" was a critically acclaimed success at the Otago Festival of the Arts.
Since 2006 he has had five CDs of his composition released, including his album "New Zealand Poets in Song" as well as chamber and orchestral CDs. The CD "Remember Parihaka" was released in 2009, including his widely performed Flute Concerto, written for Alexa Still. A new album of his piano music "Expressions" was released in 2010 featuring pianist Tom McGrath. In 2011 the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra released a CD of Anthony's orchestral music, including his recently composed Symphony No.3, premiered at the Otago Festival of Arts in 2010.
Recent commissions include new works for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and NZ National Youth Choir, as well as a wind quintet for Zephyr. He has composed over 150 compositions, and many have been performed overseas. He is currently a senior lecturer in composition at The University of Otago in Dunedin.