Author Archives

Loose, Wet, Perforated Revival

So thrilled Guerilla Opera revived Loose, Wet, Perforated, the work I wrote for their 2011 season, at the Boston Conservatory, Sep 21-24 2016! This was an entirely new production with many new cast and crew members, including countertenor Douglas Dodson and director Austin Regan. What’s more, a studio recording of the complete opera took place in October, in preparation for an album release. 

The Law Of The Tongue in the Sydney Opera House

In addition to the premiere in Brisbane, the intrepid Acacia Quartet performed The Law Of The Tongue in the Utzon Room of the Sydney Opera House on July 30, in a wonderful programme titled ‘The Harp & The Harpoon.’ Check out the e-vite!

Acacia Quartet & The Law Of The Tongue

It is my great pleasure to acknowledgement the premiere of the string quartet The Law Of The Tongue! Having played the second movement in the 2015 Limelight Australian Composition Seminar, Acacia Quartet graciously commissioned the remaining three, and gave the first complete performance on July 9th at Brisbane’s Music By The Sea. Check out the e-vite!

The Butcher Of Brisbane & In Defence Of Toads at Sick Puppy 2016

Once again, New England Conservatory’s Summer Institute of Contemporary Performance Practice, aka SICPP, aka Sick Puppy featured some of my music, kind souls that they are! The Butcher of Brisbane got an airing, with the irrepressible Philipp Stäudlin playing saxophones, and there was a premiere of a new work, In Defence of Toads, written especially for the amazing vocal soloist, eleven-year old William Drury. Both pieces also featured members of the ever-astounding Callithumpian Consort.

Recording of A King’s Manifesto

Check out Halcyon’s new album, Kingfisher – Songs of Halcyon, released by Tall Poppies! It features works commissioned for the ensemble’s 15th birthday, including my own contribution, A King’s Manifesto. 

Uncanny Valley at Token Creek Chamber Music Festival

Very excited Ryan McCullough performed Uncanny Valley 25 August 2015 at the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival! It featured in a recital by Ryan and soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbons, alongside a new song cycle by festival co-director John Harbison. 

Tokyo Performance of Obsidian Magnified

The wonderful and irrepressible Reiko Manabe, in collaboration with violinist Maiko Matsuoka, performed “Obsidian Magnified” in Tokyo’s hall60 on 12 July at 2:30pm. If you were in town, hope you checked it out!!

Dysart’s Changelings in the Boston Globe

Can’t help but be thrilled Callithumpian Consort’s performance of Dysart’s Changelings in SICPP 2015 received a favourable and artfully worded review in the Boston Globe!! Special thanks to Micah Brightwell, Ashe Gordon, David Russell and Elaine Rombola for playing their hearts and guts out.

Sick Puppy Performances of Dysart’s Changelings and A King’s Manifesto

Very much appreciated the performances of Dysart’s Changelings and A King’s Manifesto in 2015’s incarnation of New England Conservatory’s Summer Institute of Contemporary Performance Practice, aka SICPP, aka Sick Puppy! The former was performed by the ever-spectacular Callithumpian Consort, the latter by wonderful SICPP fellows.

Review of Uncanny Valley Recording

Gordon Kerry wrote a gracious and insightful review of Zubin Kanga’s CD, ‘Piano Inside Out‘. Happy to report my contribution – Uncanny Valley – gets a good rap!

Uncanny Valley Premiere Recording

A recording of Uncanny Valley: Variations & Theme for pianoforte  by acclaimed pianist Zubin Kanga was released on Move Records.  Part of an album titled ‘Piano Inside Out‘, it was one of seven featured contemporary Australian piano works, all commissioned by Kanga to explore the musical potential of the instrument’s insides. Experience its wonders for yourself!

Recording of Complete Piano Works

Very happy to acknowledge plans for an album of my major piano works, recorded by the formidable Ryan McCullough. Sessions occurred over a few years and included Terraformation, Uncanny Valley and Indie Ditties.

Australian Music Weekend 2015 & The Law Of The Tongue

Greatly enjoyed the Australian Composition Seminar 2015 at Santa Sabina College, featuring premieres by several local composers, including myself! My contribution was a movement of a string quartet titled The Law Of The Tongue, an allusion to the symbiotic relationship between killer whales and whalers in the New South Welsh town of Eden, which lasted up to the 1930s.

Check out the ABC documentary on the subject for more context.

Judith Weir & Torrid Nature Scenes

Judith Weir, Master of the Queen’s Music, very kindly recommended my album Torrid Nature Scenes!?! Her acknowledgement, discussion of her illustrious position and a review of her latest release The Vanishing Bridegroom can be found in the December 2014 issue of Limelight. 

Music Matters

Check out ‘Music Matters‘, a panel session facilitated by Richard Gill involving a bunch of young musicians (including myself) talking about the state of music in the mid 2010s. This chat was recorded in the studios of Fine Music 102.5; a summary can be found in the December 2014 issue of Limelight, which can be back-ordered here. 

Artology Fanfare Competition

I had the privilege in 2014 to be part of the inaugural Artology Fanfare Competition. Check out its progress below, listen out for its culmination in various venues each year, and for those of the right age, start thinking about your entry for next year!

Promo Video

Homepage

Press

The Sydney Morning Herald

The Australian

The Monthly

Torrid Nature Scenes release

Proud to acknowledge the release by Navona Records of Torrid Nature Scenes, an album featuring The Butcher of Brisbane (concerto for one saxophonist and several saxophones), Economy of Wax (a celebration of scientific enquiry) and the profane oratorio, Torrid Nature Scene. In addition to the music, the CD version included virtual scores, various media and a collection of essays.

Serious congrats to the soloists Eliot Gattegno, Adrienne Pardee, Paula Downes and Theo Lobo, the players of the Callithumpian Consort, the recording engineers, and of course, conductor and impresario Stephen Drury.

Check out the shop page for more information.