After wide-ranging studies at the Tyrolean State Conservatory in Innsbruck and at the University of Music in Vienna (composition, conducting), Martin Lichtfuss acquired extensive practical experience during 10 years as a conductor at German and Austrian theatres. From 1995–2005 he was head of Department I for music theory / musical directing, at the same time instructing a class in composition at the Tyrolean State Conservatory. In 2005, he follewed a call from the Uneversity of Music in Vienna, where he was given a professorship in composition.

In his compositions – for which he has been awarded several prizes – Martin Lichtfuss attempts to combine the diverging trends of New Music in a personal manner so as to use the variety of contemporary tonal languages without committing to any specific ideology.