All Those Ways of Leaving

score available from Wise Music program note These six interludes were written to be interspersed between a reading of Nick Earls’ short story, All Those Ways of Leaving. The interludes are also designed to be able to work on their own. The work is dedicated to Paul Dean and Nick Earls and was commissioned by … Read more

Book of Departures (sextet)

YouTube score available from Wise Music program note When Marshall McGuire contacted me about writing a piece for Sydney’s Sonic Art Ensemble, he noted that it would be the group’s final commission and the idea of a sort of ‘farewell symphony’ took hold. While mapping out the structure of the piece, I started thinking in … Read more

Book of Departures (trio)

Spotify CD available 800 Million Heartbeats NZTrio ABC Classics score available from Wise Music program note This piece was originally commissioned by Marshall McGuire as a sextet for Sydney’s Sonic Art Ensemble. He noted that it would be the group’s final commission and the idea of a sort of ‘farewell symphony’ took hold. While mapping … Read more

Bringing You Back Home

score available from Reed Music program note “One day, as fragile as a rose Bringing you back home to me.” (Ross Baglin) Bringing You Back Home is an instrumental pop song which was originally written in collaboration with Ross Baglin and was then specifically arranged for the Haan Wind Trio who gave the premiere performance. … Read more

Dance Music for Concert Halls

YouTube – (click chapter link 00:10:37 in info field) score available from Wise Music program note i. pairs / doubles ii. interlude iii. serenade iv. variations v. synthesis There is a form of ‘dance music’ in the classical tradition whose purpose does not require any dancing. And I often wonder what it means, therefore, to … Read more

Earth-like

score available soon fromWise Music program notei: biosphereii: Earth-likeIn looking to the stars, we seek to know where we came from. What our place in the Universe is. We want to know if there is other life out there (are we alone?). And what if our own biosphere collapses; are there other life-sustaining planets we could reach? … Read more

Easter Island

score available from Wise Music program note Easter Island (remotely located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean) is thought to have been settled by Polynesians around AD800. Its society rose and fell (without outside intervention) due to deforestation and the resultant strain on food supply. By the early 18th century the society was in … Read more

Five of One, Half a Dozen of the Other…?

Spotify CD available Continuum Sax Continuum Saxophone Quartet, CSAX01 Reed Music score available from Reed Music program note i. At Sixes and Sevens ii. Möbius Strip iii. Five of One, Half a Dozen of the Other…? iv. Delayed Arrival (Flight 4753) These miniatures for saxophone quartet explore aspects of rhythmic ambiguity inspired by visual illusions … Read more

Night Vision

score available from Wise Music program note Night Vision is cast in two movements and is loosely programmatic by nature, but not in structure. Astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman’s description of the Earth at night as seen from space created in my mind a general feel for the piece: “At night the universe opens up. Darkness gives … Read more

800 Million Heartbeats (quartet / quintet)

/ 073 score available from Wise Music program note Many living creatures lives apparently last for around 800 million heartbeats. Birds like the hummingbird have a very rapid wing motion – so fast that it becomes a blur. It also has a correspondingly fast heart rate and lives a shorter (and arguably more intense) life. … Read more