I've just spent a couple of extraordinary days at Steve Rosse's brilliant Tubamania Festival, held in Bangkok this year. My work for four euphoniums and 2 tubas, "Flying in Paradise" was premiered on Thursday night here (youtube video will apparently follow!)
There are lots fo great players from around S.E Asia here, many from Europe and the USA orginally, who are all very much at home here. The food has been brilliant, and Bangkok is its usual energetic, friendly, chaotic self, full of smells and sound - a complete assault on the senses.
I leave here with a long list of things to do, new friendships made and tremendous respect for a large group of players who specialise in low brass and who are as committed to their craft as any other serious musician.
I've also taken my first rides in a tuk-tuk and have come away knowing I have now stared insanity in the face and refused to blink. Those drivers are crazy!
And Bangkok is sinking. In 25 years much of it will be underwater. What shall we do for a new one?
Back to Sydney in a few hours to conduct the Sydney Male Choir in Kiama on Sunday afternoon. What a time to be alive.
About Me
- Houston Dunleavy
- I was born in Northern Ireland, live in Australia, and am a composer, conductor and actor. I am Head of Composition and Production at The Australian Institute of Music and Musical Director of the Sydney Male Choir. I've been Visiting Composer at Universities and schools and my music has been performed in Australia, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, China, Italy, Ireland, Taiwan, Argentina, Mexico and Puerto Rico by many international concert artists and ensembles. My compositional interests include music for orchestra, the theatre (including dance), the voice and the church, the combination of electro-acoustic and acoustic resources especially in real time, the exploration of virtuosity and indigenous Australian music. I've conducted in festivals and concerts all over the world, as well as acted in too many professional theatre works to list here.
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