Premiered at the World Saxophone Congress in Harbin by Duo Rosella. This work celebrates the unexpected musical influences that sometimes creep up from my subconscious; from 90s pop hooks to Afro-Cuban grooves and crunchy twentieth century saxophone sounds.
A mystical, haunting duet for 2 soprano saxophones.
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RamVBOXaqOE&t=125s
A haunting dance for oboe and soprano saxophone.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RamVBOXaqOE&t=115s
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiIiPIUttP4
A lyrical dance for two baritone saxophones. Influenced by film music and minimalism.
Watch it Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vppoveOQ71w
Composed during the first Sydney Covid-19 lockdown (April 2020), the work was a much-needed distraction during a time of crisis. The work was written with (and for) violinist Julia Russoniello and uses the only instruments available to us during this lockdown period.
Werri Dance II was inspired by the light, colour and sounds of Werri Beach on the south coast of New South Wales. This simple and joyous dance represents a moment of optimism. It was premiered by myself and Julia Russoniello in May 2020 for Phoenix Central Park’s Behind Doors series.
Watch Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIny34skXnQ&list=PLTva-j0LFSH3Vdq_nYdazDRxJxP2hrGtR
Quinkana, originally a one movement work, was composed during a four-week isolation period in Japan at the start of the 2020 Covid-19 outbreak. The work was to be premiered by the Aura Ensemble in Houston (U.S.A.) in April 2020 however, as with most public performances in 2020, the premiere was cancelled. With the extra time afforded me by the circumstances of the pandemic, I added two more movements to Quinkana to create a suite.
The work is inspired by the completely fascinating megafauna species that were native to the Australian continent until approximately 40 000 years ago. Enormous, ferocious, awe inspiring and terrifying; one cannot help but wonder what interactions these animals had with the original human inhabitants of this continent.
I- Quinkana: A crocodile-like predator that could grow to seven metres in length. Unlike modern crocodiles, Quinkana lived and hunted on land. II- Genyornis A flightless bird with tiny wings that grew to approximately two metres in height. III- Diprotodon A rhinoceros-sized wombat. The largest marsupial that ever existed, it could grow to two metres in height and three metres in length.
Scoring Flute/Piccolo Bb Clarinet Eb Baritone Saxophone Percussion (one player): Vibraslap, Xylophone, Hi-hats, Kick Drum, Snare Drum, Floor Tom, Susp. Cymbal, Tapping sticks (or mallet handles), Vibraphone. Violin Cello Piano
For alto and soprano saxophone, violin, viola & cello. From the album The Golden Age Project.
Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/2JfEfCSlrNGEEZp1JKpTr5?si=5kgbCj9IQg2Ly6nlSKddHQ
This suite retells, in melody, historical events from Sydney in the 1920s. The first movement, Razorhurst, depicts the violent and somewhat romanticized razor gangs that were highly active in the inner city suburb of Darlinghurst. The second movement Greycliffe is composed in memory of the deadly Greycliffe ferry disaster of 1927. The collision between the small Greycliffe public ferry and a large steamer resulted in the death of forty passengers and is still the deadliest accident that has occurred in Sydney Harbour. The final optimistic movement, Bridgesteps, is inspired by the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This landmark was constructed step by step across the decade of the 1920s⸺ninety years on the bridge is still a focal point of the city’s identity.
