C OMPOSITION LUNCHTIME
HAYES
Acknowledgement ofCountry
The Composition Cohort of Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University acknowledges the people who are the traditional custodians of the land, pays respect to the Elders, past and present, and extends that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
ThreePorts: Port1
Dominic Crosato AlexandraKho
Charlene CloudTan
This piece, played in three instalments over this concert, is a collaboration by Dom, Alex and Cloud, and a pre-premiere before the annual Sound Devotion at St John’s Cathedral. Its musical material is based on a religious Buddhist chant which Cloud has fond memories of in childhood. This first movement is for three voices.
Voice 1: Dominic Crosato
Voice 2: Charlene Cloud Tan
Voice 3: Alexandra Kho
Prelude
Christian Panjaitan
“Prelude” is a miniature that exploits the many timbral and textual possibilities available on the piano. After leading with a brief introduction that hints at some of the main motifs used, a warm, pastoral theme emerges with delicate filigree and extended harmonies. A static second subject with moving in parallel open fifths, fourths, and octaves provides some subtle contrast before being subsumed by a climactic passage that winds down to a repeat of the material. The work then finishes with an ending cadence that eventually floats into the stratosphere.
Piano: Christian Panjaitan
TheUnder Toad
Emma Olsen
“The Under Toad” is a term that comes from John Irving’s novel “The World According to Garp” . It starts out as a misheard warning when swimming in the surf: beware of the undertow (toad) which Garp’s son thinks is a giant toad under the water waiting to pull him under. It comes to represent that sense of fear underlying the surface at times of change and turmoil.
Piano: Sia Johnson
*Iwillcomeup withsomething*
Arthur’s nth Random Creation!
Piano: Arthur Hayes
Arthur Hayes
ThreePorts: Port2
Charlene CloudTan Dominic Crosato AlexandraKho
This piece, played in three instalments over this concert, is a collaboration by Dom, Alex and Cloud, and a pre-premiere before the annual Sound Devotion at St John’s Cathedral. Its musical material is based on a religious Buddhist chant which Cloud has fond memories of in childhood. This second movement is sung by one voice and canvased with 2 ouds (one with adapted Arabic tuning and one with Iraqi tuning), and a hurdy-gurdy.
Voice, oud (Iraqi): Dominic Crosato Oud (Arabic): Charlene Cloud Tan Hurdy-gurdy: Alexandra Kho
Forgotten
Silence comes freely in the abyss.
Piano: Mark Sims
Mark Sims
After Seikilos
Christian Panjaitan
“After Seikilos” is a sombre, reflective mediation on an Ancient Greek melody from the 1st or 2nd century AD called the Seikilos Epitaph – one of the oldest in the world:
It is set to the following lyric:
“While you live, shine Have no grief at all, Life exists only for a short while And time demands its toll”
Many believe that Seikilos penned the melody in memory of his late wife, Euridice. In setting this bright and joyful tune to these words, however, it is clear that Seikilos wanted to celebrate his Euridice’s life rather than mourn her passing. Rediscovered on a stone column in the early 1880’s, his wish for her to be eternally remembered has since come true.
In this composition, the theme has been arranged for solo piano and transformed into a minimalistic ode that explores sparse textures and evocative sonorities.
Piano: Christian Panjaitan
ThreePorts: Port3
Crosato AlexandraKho
Charlene CloudTan Dominic
This piece, played in three instalments over this concert, is a collaboration by Dom, Alex and Cloud, and a pre-premiere before the annual Sound Devotion at St John’s Cathedral. Its musical material is based on a religious Buddhist chant which Cloud has fond memories of in childhood. In this third and final movement, the ouds and hurdy-gurdy improvise on the beginnings of the now-familiar Buddhist chant, and end in triumphant togetherness, with rousing vocals and accompanying percussive gestures.
Voice, oud (Iraqi): Dominic Crosato
Voice, oud (Arabic): Charlene Cloud Tan
Voice, hurdy-gurdy: Alexandra Kho