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Concert at Centre for Musical Arts

On Thursday 13th April, 2017, the Centre for Musical Arts in Dubai hosted a concert of my music performed by musicians living and working in Dubai. Pieces included:

Carry her over the water – performed by Jubilate (director Jennie Lee-Foster)

Dorian – for violin and pianoforte – Crosby Barrett (violin), Magdalena Wajdzik (pianoforte)

Some become stars – for eight violas (Francesca Knowles, Stephanie Duarte, Imogen Lillywhite, Calum Mciver, Hannah Mason, Jennie Lee Foster, Crosby Barrett, Natalie Oughourlian)

Vox – for piano and string quartet, Lorelei Quartet (Natalia Vaskinova, Jennie Lee-Foster, Francesca Knowles, Angharad Maxwell) and Sophie Griggs (pianoforte)

Moving On – for pianoforte (Magdalena Wojdzik)

The infusion of impossible things – for flute, piano and string trio – Tala Badri (flute), Mariola Sokolowska (pianoforte), Anne Mouslmani (violin), Imogen Lillywhite (viola), Anna Lashko (violoncello)

I count the islands (and I sigh) – for viola and small orchestra (Stephanie Duarte (solo viola) Dubai Chamber Orchestra (directed by Jon Barrett))

String Quartet No 3 – performed by the Lorelei Quartet (Natalia Vaskinova, Jennie Lee-Foster, Francesca Knowles & Angharad Maxwell)

Two Pages, Two Minutes – solo violin (Niko Managazze)

 

 

Performance at XVA Gallery, Dubai

I think of the Islands (and I sigh) for Harp and Flute was recently performed at the opening of an exhibition by the American artist Colleen Quigley at the XVA Gallery in the heart of the Al Fahidi Historical Area in Dubai, UAE. The intimate performance setting, the courtyard of an old traditional style Emirati house, coupled with the beautiful artworks enhanced the listening experience:

 

Performers:  Lidia Stankulova (harp) and Malena Avila (flute)

A Folding Screen

A Folding Screen is a collection of songs for Soprano, Clarinet and Pianoforte based on ancient Chinese poems. The structure of the piece is such that each performer has a solo, a duo with each of the others and three pieces for the whole ensemble. There are nine movements:

1. A Morning Time (Soprano, Clarinet, Pianoforte) – Liu K’o Chuang
2. Night Thoughts (Soprano, Pianoforte) – Li Bai
3. Kuan Ch’u (Clarinet)
4. Folding Screen I (Pianoforte)
5. Winter Nights (Soprano, Clarinet, Pianoforte) – Chien Wen-Ti
6. A Flower (Soprano) – Po Chu I
7. Folding Screen II (Clarinet, Pianoforte)
8. Dank Mist, Desolation (Soprano, Clarinet)
9. In the Empty Mountains (Soprano, Clarinet, Pianoforte)

In the performance recorded here, the soprano is Joanne Brown, the clarinettist, Andrea Gould, and the pianist, Naila Maharramova. It was recorded live at The Fridge, Al Quoz, Dubai 17/03/2014

So ito a Sperana

So ito a Sperana was written as a memorial to my father-in-law who passed away in 2002 after a long illness. Asperano (in dialect “Sperana” is the area where he had an olive grove that he owned. After his retirement, he would visit and tend his land daily for as long as he had his sight.

Structured in three slow sections the music is slow and contemplative. The opening section quotes a passage from a piano piece Bela Bartok, while central section uses a traditional song from the Monti Lepini, “Tira vento”.