Matthew Orlovich: Australian Composer: Hot News

What's cooking? I'm glad you asked! Here you will discover some of the current musical endeavours that I am working on, plus news of performances, broadcasts and upcoming events.

2010

• New Work commissioned for performance by the super-talented Concordis Chamber Choir, directed by Andrew Hunter. [See Concerts]

• New Work commissioned for performance by the acclaimed Sydney Conservatorium Chamber Choir, directed by Neil McEwan. [See Concerts]

• New Work for saxophone and symphonic wind ensemble, commissioned for performance by Australian saxophone virtuoso, Barry Cockcroft.

• New suite of works for junior level band on sale from leading Australian music publisher, Reed Music.

2009 Commissions & World Premiere Performances!

• "All is one and one is all" commissioned by Ars Musica Australis for performance in 2009 by In Harmony Choir, directed by Rachelle Elliott.

• "The Blue Gum Forest" commissioned for performance in 2009 at the 60th Australian Intervarsity Choral Festival, in Hobart, Tasmania.

• "Butterflies dance" commissioned for performance in 2009 by The Australian Voices, directed by Stephen Leek.

• "White horses" (for symphonic wind ensemble) is a new work commissioned by reedmusic.com. Premiere performance: 20 June 2009. [See "concerts" for details].

Tides of Ocean (for a cappella SATB choir)

Since 1998, "Tides of Ocean" (for a cappella SATB choir) has been surfing a wave of popularity around the world. Commissioned by The Australian Voices, the work exhibits an energy that is appealing to performers and audiences alike. Published by Morton Music, it is available to purchase worldwide from the kind folks at:

www.musical-resources.com

Some recent performances of "Tides of Ocean" include

• Bel a cappella @ Sydney, Australia
• MMU Select Chorus @ Burlington, Vermont, USA
• San Francisco State University Chamber Singers @ Anaheim, California, USA
• Mt Eden Chamber Singers @ 2008 Golden State Choral Festival, USA
• Taipei Chamber Singers @ 2007 World Window Series Concert Tour
• Concordis @ 2006 ABC Classic FM Choir of the Year Awards
• Wesley Institute Choir @ 2007 Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival, Golden Hall, Musikverein, Vienna...

ABOVE: 1st Prize performance of "Tides of Ocean" by
Wesley Institute Choir, Vienna, 2007.

Waratah (for SATB choir, brass and percussion, 2001, rev.2008)

Commissioned and premiered by Sydney Philharmonia Choirs in 2001, this work has recently been revised and performed at the 59th Australian Intervarsity Choral Festival. A recording of the work by the Queensland University Musical Society is in the pipeline!

Midnight Mass (for SATB choir, organ, orchestra and soloists)

Commissioned by Reverend Dr Arthur E. Bridge, this new Mass received its premiere performance on Christmas Eve 2007 at St Patrick's Church, Allawah Street, Blacktown, NSW.

I. Processional (O come, all ye faithful) (3’08”)
II. Lord Have Mercy (1’07”)
III. Gloria (1’36”)
IV. Responsorial Psalm (2’40”)
V. Gospel Acclamation (1’46”)
VI. Profession of Faith (Creed) (4’40”)
VII. Offertory Song (Lo, there is light!) (3’13”)
VIII. Holy Holy Holy (1’09”)
IX. Memorial Acclamation (0’30”)
X. Amen (Full) (1’31”)
XI. Lord’s Prayer (2’00”)
XII. Lamb of God (0’46”)
XIII. Communion songs:
i. Away in a Manger (2’33”)
ii. Silent Night (3’31”)
XIV. Recessional (Joy to the World) (2’40”)

Full score and parts for this Mass are available from the composer. Enquiries welcome!

Crazy Logic (for alto sax and piano)

Following on from its publication by reedmusic.com and its release on CD by rompduo, "Crazy Logic" continues to travel the globe. Look out for a performance near you!

ABOVE: (L) Crazy Logic receives UK premiere at Wigmore Hall on 15 Sep. 2007; (R) Crazy Logic CD recorded by rompduo (Barry Cockcroft/Adam Pinto).

Australian Premiere
Saxophonist Barry Cockcroft and pianist Adam Pinto gave "Crazy Logic" its world premiere performance at Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, VIC, Australia, on Sunday 8 October, 2006.

UK Premiere
Saxophonist Gerard McChrystal and pianist Mary Dullea gave "Crazy Logic" its UK premiere performance at Wigmore Hall, London, on September 15, 2007.

Canadian Premiere
Barry Cockcroft and Adam Pinto present the Canadian debut of "Crazy Logic" at Rolston Hall, Banff Centre, Banff, Alberta, Canada on 27th September, 2007.

Lo, there is light! (for a cappella SATB choir)

A splendid performance of "Lo, there is light!" (for a cappella SATB choir) by the amazing Choir of St Peter's Cathedral, Adelaide, is now available on ABC DVD entitled "Hymns of Glory". The piece is a setting of words by Bishop Reginald Heber and A.B. (Banjo) Paterson. Originally, the piece was commissioned, premiered and recorded by The Harvard University Choir (USA).

Available from ABC Shop.

The work has also recently been recorded by the Canberra based choir, The Resonants.

The Choir of London, conducted by Jeremy Summerly, performed "Lo, there is light!" at Christ Church, Spitalfields, London, UK, and then during the choir's tour of Palestine Territories and Israel, which included concerts in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Bethlehem, and services in the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem (Christmas Eve) and St George's Cathedral, Jerusalem (Christmas Day).

The Briar Cliff University Choir in Sioux City, Iowa, USA and St George's Choir in Nashville, Tennessee, USA have also performed the work.

Other recent performances of "Lo, there is light!" have taken place at Christ Church Cathedral, Michigan, USA, and at The National Cathedral, in Washington D.C., USA.

12th International Handbell Symposium, 2006

ABOVE: Rehearsing for the premiere performance of "Night".
Click the picture to see my full size photograph!

Commissioned by The Handbell Society of Australasia, "Night" was premiered by 2,500 handbells, didgeridoo, SATB choir and clap sticks. Based on the Judith Wright poem of the same name, the work was performed by players from around the world, aged from five to 85, at the closing concert of the 12th International Handbell Symposium, Brisbane, Australia.

The message of the work is timely: "... Come back to the kind flesh, to love and simple sight. Let us forget awhile that we create the night. Out of this dark of time, alive and human, come. Brief is the warm day in which we have our home."

The original work is scored for 5 octave handbells (with optional handchimes), SATB choir, clap sticks and didgeridoo in C.

Stop Press: A new arrangement prepared in 2008 for SATB choir, piano, percussion & didgeridoo in C has recently received its premiere performance by ProjectKoor (The Netherlands), directed by Mr Paul Gieles.

Scores and parts for both arrangements of "Night" are available from the Australian Music Centre.

School Days (Fremantle Arts Centre Press)

School Days / John Kinsella (editor).
ISBN: 978 1 921064 71 5

Recollections of schooldays often provide some of our earliest - and for many, happiest - memories.

Visit Fremantle Press

John Kinsella has gathered short memoirs from more than twenty well-known Australians, from writers to sports-people, to politicians and others.

Gary Bennett, Veronica Brady, Julian Burnside, Greg Chappell, David Fagan, Charmaine Green, Peter Goldsworthy, Marion Halligan, Rodney Hall, Malcolm Knox, Carmen Lawrence, Kate Llewellyn, Kate Lilley, Merv Lilley, Melissa Lucashenko, Brett McDermott, Frank Moorhouse, Justice Robert Nicholson, Matthew Orlovich, Peter Porter, Eva Sallis, Peter Sculthorpe, Rachel Siewert, Sam Watson Snr, Robert Gerald Wheeler, Ouyang Yu.

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