Vale PETER TAHOURDIN
It was very sad to learn of the death of composer Peter Tahourdin on July 28. Peter was my colleague at the University of Melbourne between 1982-88.
Please read the thoughtful obituary by Barry Conyngham on the AMC website.
Ihttp://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/article/peter-tahourdin-remembered
Melbourne International Arts Festival programme was launched on July 14.
Amongst the many exciting events will be the premiere of my new work Tyranny of Distance (Symphony #6) on Saturday October 17 by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Warwick Stengards.
http://www.melbournefestival.com.au/program/production?id=3551&idx=21&max=21
Lasting 38 minutes, it will feature:
soprano soloist, Merlyn Quaife,
didgeridoo soloist, Jida Gulpilil,
the MSO Chorus directed by Jonathan Grieves-Smith and
live visuals projected on to a huge screen by the brilliant visual/video artist Tim Gruchy (see his website http://www.grup.tv/)
(see Tyranny of Distance page for program notes and text)
also on the program is Julian Yu's clever and imaginative arrangement of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition for 16 soloists from the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Also
September 4, 5 & 6 will see the premiere of my multi-instrumental concerto for the amazing James Morrison. Titled Made in Heaven, it takes its inspiration from, and is a homage to the iconic Miles Davis album, Kind of Blue (2009 is the 50th anniversary of its making).
My piece is NOT a transcription, nor arrangement (because of copyright!), but uses the structure of the album - five tracks - as the 5 movement structural basis, each alluding to the style/'feel' of the tracks on the album.
James Morrison will play trumpet (movements 1 & 5), saxophone (movement 2), trombone (movement 3) and flugel horn (4).
The work will feature the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Boston Pops director, Keith Lockhart on the MSO's Swing!, Swing!, Swing! program with works by Bernstein, Ellington, Gershwin and John Williams
http://www.mso.com.au/cpa/htm/htm_event_list.asp?page_id=76&event_date=2009/9/4
Hall of Mirrors - (Premiere of revised version)
trombone, flute, clarinet, string quintet, percussion
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players
featuring Brett Kelly, trombone
Iwaki Auditorium, ABC Southbank Centre
Sunday March 22, 11am
February 5, 6.30pm - Cybec 21 Composers Program (free) concert at Iwaki Auditorium.
MSO conducted by Brett Kelly
Composers: Lorenzo Alvaro, Elias Constantopedos, Benjamin McDonald, and Mark Wolf
In 2009 I will be Composer In Residence with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, in association with the Vice Chancellor's Fellowship Program at the University of Melbourne.
I have been composing 3 works to be premiered in 2009.
A large scale symphonic work for soprano soloist, didgeridoo, choir and orchestra.
A concerto for James Morrison - Made in Heaven - a homage to the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue,
and
a chamber concertino for trombonist Brett Kelly - Hall of Mirrors.
Music played at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games.
I have just returned from Beijing where my music was played at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games.
I co-wrote 11 minutes of music with Julian Yu and William Barton that was used during the entrance of the athletes. The music was perfomed by the Kalkadunga Wama Band led by William Barton and included Delmae Collins, Robert Barton, Isaac Barton, Quinto Calarco, Richard Scott-Moore, David Williams, Corey Webster and Nathan Burton. Amy Valent and Arwen Johnstone recorded the percussion parts and the Faye Dumont Singers added vocals. Thank you to Move Records for recording and editing - Martin Wright and Vaughn McAlley.....
and a big thank you to Arts Victoria and Christabel Harvey for their support.
In September 2008 I adjudicated the Royal South Street Society's Festival of Bands with Graham Lloyd and Bill Broughton.
In 2008/09 I will be Head Mentor again for the MSO's Cybec 21 Composer's program
In June 2008 I adjudicated the Armidale Eisteddfod Composition Section.
On Saturday May 10 I was a 'specialist commentator' on ABC Classic FM (with announcer Emma Ayres) for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's 4th Metropolis Series Concert. The concert titled Glittering Walkways, included works by Paul Castles, Georges Lentz, Mary Finsterer, Keith Humble and Thomas Ades.
In May 2008 I will adjudicate the international Shakuhachi Chamber Music Composition Competition 2008
with composer Dr Jo Selleck and shakuhachi master Andrew MacGregor (please go to the link)
Scottish flautist Yvonne Paterson wins Second Prize in
the
Final of the Performing Australian Music Competition
(performing my 'Aureole' for flute and piano) held at
Australia House, London (in the presence of Princess
Alexandra) on Tuesday April 8.
In February 2008
I was
Head Mentor for the
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's
Cybec 21
young
composer program.
Four composers were selected:
Nicole Murphy from
Brisbane,
Paul Castles from Sydney
and
Robert Dahm and
James Rushford from Melbourne.
Their works were performed by members of the MSO conducted
by Brett Kelly to a packed audience at Iwaki Auditorium on
Tuesday February 5th. Congratulations to all four composers
for their excellent works and especially to Paul and Robert
whose works were selected to be performed by the MSO in the
Malthouse concerts later in the year.
I
Had a Dream (in memory of Michael Easton)
performed by the
Australian Contemporary Chorale directed by Hildy Essex and
released on the Melbourne Composers' League CD
Rear Vision
Rated
as one of the
Recordings of the Year 2007
by
Rob Barnett of
Music Web International
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2007/roty2007_1.htm
Good Angel's Tears
- Journeys through light and dark: Symphonies
1-5
Krasnoyarsk Academic
SO/Andrew Wheeler rec. 1999 ETCETERA KTC 2026
Broadstock does not place
elitist obstacles between himself and the listener. His
music speaks direct from the heart to the heart.
Stunning golden work radiating a sense of kindly exaltation
with a blazing kinetic forward pulse.
Not newly released but a magnificent and vividly living
achievement which I urge you to hear.
Shortlisted
for the 2007 Melbourne Prize for
Music
It
was an honour to be short-listed for the 2007 Melbourne
Prize for Music along with
percussionist David
Jones,
songwriter/singer Paul Kelly,
composer/conductor Richard Mills and
composer/pianist Paul Grabowsky.
The recipient was announced at BMW Edge Theatre on November
13..... and congratulations
to Paul Grabowsky
with my son, Callan and
daughter, Taryn at the Melbourne Prize
reception
CONGRATULATIONS
also
to
Julian
Langdon
who
received the Development Award of the Melbourne Prize of
the Melbourne Prize
and
David
Chisholm
who was a finalist in the Outstanding Musicians Award of
the Melbourne Prize