chamber music

I have attempted to depict this ‘perceptual widening’ musically: throughout the piece, more and more of the night sky is gradually revealed in the sonic fabric.

Birds weave this story into our dreaming cosmos, the conventional limitations of earth, sky, death, day, life and night dissolving and creating its own universe of existence.

Brenda Gifford works collaboratively, with an interest in using the medium of music to express her culture.

“We so often hear grand or serious music pertaining to the universe… But what if the beginnings of the universe were simply fun?”

“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.”

“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.”