BRENTON BROADSTOCK AM - COMPOSER
(Photograph by Nikola Gurovic Oct 2022)
NEWS
Finalist in the Art Music Awards 2022
My choral work, Pandemic, premiered at St Benedikt Church, Ebenhausen, Germany in 2021 by the Theodor Schüz Ensemble and Quartet Berlin-Tokyo conducted by Philipp Amelung, has been selected as a Finalist in the Art Music Awards 2022 'Work of the Year: Choral' presented by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre.
Pandemic was the 6th movement from 'Shadow and Hope - a Cantata from Six Continents in the Age of Pandemic' commissioned by the Municipality of Icking for the Ickinger Konzertzyklus Festival.
The performance of Pandemic can be seen here on 
(PS Congratulations to Paul Stanhope for receiving the award - he is an excellent composer!)
The Nurses at Vung Tau - Opera
Review July 3, Jenna Robertson in 'Loud Mouth'
My comment…
Reviews can be a mixed blessing! Of course, it all depends on the reviewer - their ability to understand the complexity and depth of a musical composition, their ability to critically discuss the music without the myopia of their personal biases and prejudices (this is a hard one for anybody!), their ability to be articulate and actually describe accurately what they have seen and heard and their ability to hear and see the 'big picture' of a work, its structure, its place in the genre and its potential, ie. its life in a different or more sympathetic setting (ie, better performers, better venue, better presentation - better music! etc).
So, to get an excellent review by Jenna Robertson (who I don't know!), published in 'Loud Mouth' by the Music Trust (an arts advocacy organisation founded by Richard Letts AM), was a great surprise and delight. Not only did she critically describe the opera - presentation, libretto and music - with much articulateness and insight informed by an obvious knowledge of music theatre and opera, she also gave very helpful and accurate criticism for improvement.
I have had many reviews over the past 40 years, good and bad and some you wondered if the reviewer was even present at the concert! When you get a 'good' critique, it is a very pleasant and welcome revelation - thank you Jenna!!
Read Jenna's full review HERE
THANK YOU to all the cast, ensemble, crew, conductor Patrick Pickett and especially to Libby Lewis - soprano, librettist and creative drive behind the opera!
We are all looking forward to the next production!
Libby Lewis and me at an interview at 4MBS (Brisbane) with the very charming Gary Thorpe OAM, General Manager and host.
Read the article about The Nurses at Vung Tau in the Catholic Leader
At the first rehearsal of The Nurses at Vung Tau.
BB, conductor Patrick Pickett and librettist and lead soprano Libby Lewis
I am thrilled that my orchestral work, Let There Be Light was selected as the winner of the Tampa Bay Symphony '5th Annual Call For Scores Competition' (USA).
Two further performances will be given by the Tampa Bay Symphony conducted by Mark Sforzini on February 22 and 27.
My duo work, Hammerblow, for saxophone and piano is now available on a Da Vinci Classics CD 'Music of the Commonwealth'.
An amazing performance by HD Duo - Michael Duke, saxophone and David Howie, piano - thank you!
Listen here on 
My choral work, Remember Them, using texts by WW1 poets, McCrae and Binyon, is to be released on 
(USA) in 2022, performed by Coro Volante conducted by Brett Scott.
67 composers writing new works for 67 ANAM musicians, all to be premiered in October 2021 (assuming Melbourne is not still in lockdown!! ): )
I am writing a solo trombone work called Memento for NSW trombonist Jarrod Callaghan.
I'm very pleased to be one of four composers (from 46 international entries) shortlisted as a finalist for the Tampa Bay Symphony '5th Annual Call For Scores Competition' (USA).
My orchestral work, Let There Be Light, will be performed in January 2022.
The work had to be influenced by the pandemic and the program note is:
Across the USA, people came together on the night of April 1, 2020 by placing candles, luminaries and other forms of light outside of their homes to show support for, and honor workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The goal, participants said, was 'to send a message of love, strength and hope to doctors, nurses, first responders and anyone who is facing COVID-19 head on'.
The name of the nationwide event was “Let There Be Light.”
In The Sunshine was performed by the Helsingborgs Symfoniorkester in Helsingborg, Sweden conducted by David Björkman on August 20, 2020
Very privileged that the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra has posted a Youtube video (with wonderful visuals) of my work, In The Sunshine, to honour our health workers.
My solo piano work, An Endless Ripple, performed by the brilliant Michael Kieran Harvey, is now available on the new Move Records CD, MOVE 50.
REVIEW: ‘Brenton Broadstock’s piano piece, An Endless Ripple also written for this project and performed by Harvey, shares a similar space/time trajectory. The rippling melodic motifs in the right hand gradually spread their reach. They are accompanied in the left hand by an unwavering undercurrent of descending chords. Recurring notes in the right hand have harmonic-like resonance which evokes the feel of sustenance Broadstock seeks. This ‘simple act of caring creates an endless ripple’ as he says, where the dynamic is resolutely contained. It’s beautiful!’
Mandy Stefanakis April 28, 2019 ‘Loud Mouth’
It's a wonderful honour to be included in the Camberwell High School alumni 'hall of fame'.
What a privilege it was to go to such an excellent public school!