Chamber Concerto
for flute, percussion & large ensemble (2008)
soloists: picc, fl, alto fl./
glock, vibraphone
ensemble: ob, Bb cl, hn, bsn, pno, 2vln,vla, vc, cb
duration: 22’
GRT • 139
audio sample
score available from
Australian Music
Centre
program note
This Chamber
Concerto draws on diverse popular music influences and is
essentially non–programmatic. The first movement is fast
and inspired by 1970’s electronica. Marked ‘dark, robotic’
it is driven by contrasts: soloists (piccolo & glock)
versus tutti, high versus low, major versus minor, dense
versus sparse – but is ultimately consumed by itself in a
vortex of polytonal arpeggios. The slower second movement
features the alto flute and vibraphone as a duet within a
1980’s soul/pop context and the final movement is
fast–paced whirlwind of Bulgarian rhythms and contemporary
jazz harmonies (flute & vibraphone). These three
movements are separated by two brief interludes in which
the flute and percussion soloists do not play. The work was
commissioned by Father Arthur Bridge (Ars Musica Australis)
for Emma Sholl, Claire Edwardes and the Sydney Omega
Ensemble.
review
"Performed here by Shaun
Barlow and Daniel Luscombe, the first movement contrasts
the solo piccolo and vibraphone, whose lines artistically
intertwine, with the rest of the orchestra. The second
movement features the alto flute and is strongly
reminiscent of the oriental jazz sounds of performers such
as Don Burrows. Barlow effortlessly performed the changes
between flute, alto flute and piccolo, and, together with
Luscombe, performed with virtuosity and vibrancy."
Kimberley Pearson, Resonate, June 2009
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