About Me

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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.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

2012, where have you been all my life?

The Mayans may have thought we'd not get past this year, and if we don't,  I'm not sure I'd be too unhappy. 2011 had a lot going for it, with some fabulous premieres and travel to places like Thailand to hear my music, and the knowledge that pieces were being played in Japan, Singapore, the USA, UK and France as well as all over Australia. The highlight of all of this (in a year which was full of lights on the top shelf!) was surely the premier of "A Kiss Before The World's End", my concerto for Viola and Symphonic Wind Ensemble, played by Brett Deubner, viola and the Grainger Wind Symphony, conducted by Roland Yeung. The links to the two videos follow:

Part 1

Parts 2 and 3



However, the premiere of Laura's and my two short operas by Opera Prometheus in November has to be right up there too! Both of these pieces seem to have legs for further performances. The US premiere for "A Kiss Before The World's End" is scheduled for 28th October in Omaha, Nebraska, and there are possible further performances of the operas in Australia and the US.

2012 seems to be even bigger than its predecessor however, with the performances already mentioned above, two major recording projects now mooted (one for all my piano music and one for my low brass music), two new concertos (possibly three!) as well as other chamber works AND a big year with the Sydney Male Choir

I have some teaching to do at the Australian Institute of Music and am now an Adjunct Fellow at the Australian National University School of Music

I can't help thinking that the University of Wollongong's axing of my department can have been anything but a Good Thing, to invoke the parlance of Sellar and Yeatman. 

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