CSO 2021

The composers have produced a piece for large ensemble which explores the concepts of evolving or unfolding – sounds and visual images are developed through controlled randomness.

“Music is an ‘essential service’ for our mind, heart and soul. As each note unfolds, the journey salves and challenges our thoughts and feelings. And when we reach the final cadence, we are completely transformed.”

“Quietude is one of those unique works that brings everyone who listens to it physical sensations at the sheer scale of its expression and meaning.”

“The piece is intended to capture the butterflies that such women must have felt as they embarked on their journey; travelling to the other end of the earth, facing many unknowns, carrying a sense of purpose, responsibility and, perhaps, naiveté about what lay ahead.”

“Originally intended as a ‘Paris Suite’ memorial for the bombings in 2015, this musical celebration of Parisian artistic life took a dramatic turn when the roof of Nôtre Dame cathedral burned down on April 15, 2019. I was composing a scene of fluid and moonlit river Seine when, among many others around the globe, I stopped to watch in horror via internet as the spire collapsed.”

“Despair and determination compete. The rare unison moment is celebrated. But still the question remains. What will it take to bring us together?”

“This piece uncovers the reverence for the natural beauty of the night sky and all it possesses.”

“…Here we get the composer at his most light-hearted – you can almost hear in these dances a young Shostakovich playing the piano to accompany silent films,” writes Angus McPherson.

“When I was first approached to curate this selection, I found it difficult to find a cohesive theme for my picks. That was until I thought, rather than picking works that really impact me when I listen to them, how about I choose works that I’ve performed during my career so far, that have left a lasting impression? And so, this list took shape.”

“I have always been drawn to the intimate and vulnerable nature of chamber works, so this collection is an ode to the introverts out there. These smaller-scale works and soaring lines offer glimpses into sound capsules of different worlds – I hope you’ll find moments of incredibly moving depth and stillness.”