I am a composer/writer based in Sydney with a diverse track record, as a scriptwriter for TV and as a composer for both film and concert. The following links allow you to assess my music. Several of my works have been commissioned through and played at various conservatoria resulting from support for individual performance artists as listed below.
I have had some association with the Australian National University School of Music where two of my works, written for clarinetist Alan Vivian, have been premiered. My Clarinet Concerto which was received with enthusiasm at its premiere at the ANU School of Music in 2002, and has been broadcast in full and the 3rd movement alone quite often. Any advocacy anyone might engage in for this work would be much appreciated! It uses strong elements of jazz and saxophones are included in the score.
This work received its US premiere in Texas on April 4 2017 directed by J Emmanuel Godoy of Lux Musicae. I am, of course, hoping that such interest from OS will lead (at last!) to a performance of this work by the SSO. It does seem to be an audience pleaser, and was written as such, not as an academic exercise.
The iTunes link to the CD is:
Here are a few more links that give evidence of my "style".
Cellist Georg Pedersen expertly plays "Tango", the 2nd movement of my Solo Cello Suite #1, a suite of 6 jazz dances. Georg skillfully performs double-stops that add an element of polyphony to the music, and expressively realizes the seductive tango dance metre.
The performers posted this piece. I call it an Opera Without Words in 5 Acts about 12 minutes duration. Each act portrays a different male (alto sax) escorted by the flighty former girlfriend (flute) of a composer. Happy ending!
“Escorts” for flute, alto sax & piano.
If you are a pianist looking for a substantial new composition I hope you might consider “Atlantis Variations” for performance. Although I have released this piece by way of demonstration as a MIDI realization on CD and at Soundcloud, it still awaits a world premiere. I think its difficulty has deterred pianists, but it is a dramatic work that I think would grip an audience.
You can also hear more of my music at Soundcloud: Voodoo Fire (clarinet, percussion & keyboards), “China Spring” (cello & piano) Solo Cello Suite#1, “Atlantis”, (flute & piano), Piano Trio #1,”Atlantis variations” for solo piano, and some film music.
Both my String Quartet and Clarinet Quintet have been broadcast quite frequently on both ABC and Fine Music 102.5. The performers on the 1981 recording were Alan Vivian, clarinet, John Gould & Irene Donohoe, first and second violins, Jane Hazelwood, viola and David Pereira, cello. The Clarinet Quintet No. 1 in D (The Princess) is portrait in music of Princess Christiane Lichnowsky, patron of Beethoven. Each movement has a historical connection.
For example the Clarinet Quintet’s 1st Movt (Profane Love/Romantic Love) is titled “a study in co-existing and equal opposites”.
Some examples of some of the above can also be heard on a CD that includes "Voodoo Fire"; and also my "Atlantis" for flute, alto flute & piano. Both recordings are of the live performance, the latter work at the graduation recital at the Sydney Conservatorium of a senior student (Belinda Gough) of Michael Scott. It has also been used for a similar purpose at other Conservatoria.
“Space trilogy” duo for trumpet & piano commissioned for senior student’s Graduation recital at Australian National University School of Music.
In 1987 Lauris Elms commissioned a song cycle for mezzo, clarinet & piano ("Rose of the Bay") (50'00") that she premiered at the Sydney Opera House and recorded for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
My Scena for soprano, flute/alto flute & piano (“Eden In Atlantis") (25'00") is on CD, sung by Lisa Rintel with Michael Scott & David Miller. It develops material intended for use in an opera on the subject the legend of "Atlantis", though it does stand alone, and is perhaps useful for a soprano looking for recital material. I have posted it on Youtube with visuals that hopefully might be thought appropriate.
A work was commissioned for the Canberra Wind Soloists a few years back. Alas as I was writing it, they disbanded because the oboist left! So it still awaits its premiere. Titled "Calypso In Exile". For soprano & Wind Quintet it’s a 25-minute "Narrative" (so -called because somewhat modeled in form after those long solo narratives by characters in Wagner’s "Ring").
It details the defiant and disobedient behavior of one of the daughters of Atlas. The score is available as a pdf file (and there is a MIDI realisation of it on CD which nevertheless might be a useful reference for tempi and dynamics). I can send the score as a pdf file with a MIDI audio realization.
I should perhaps mention that I have also composed a 12-minute work for Wind Band title "The Quay", written as a competition piece for our local Band Association, last performed in 1986. Earlier I wrote a Wind Octet, "Mutation II", which was premiered in New Zealand at the Auckland festival in 1964. A press review (favorable) was headed "Wind Group in atomic work"! It has not been performed since - perhaps because regarded as too radioactive?
My Piano Trio No.1 was commissioned as a piece to be played to a live audience at a restaurant on the top of Sydney’s tallest building on Australia Day. Its 4 movements each portray an element of that day.
My own guitar playing (years ago) was restricted to basic picks accompanying myself in "folk"-type songs that I sang at venues, a bit on TV, and I include these links to indicate that my musical interests include some degree of crossover.