The Year That Has Been

30/6/2017

12 months ago, I launched this website, and officially began my career as a freelance musician. What an incredible 12 months it has been, and I can only be thankful to all my supporters for encouraging me to get to where I have come, and hopefully where I will go!

New Compositions

In the last 12 months, I have more than doubled my existing brass band repertoire, including my first major work "Buckley", which placed Geelong West Brass Band third in the Own Choice section at the Australian National Band Championships (read up on that venture here). Furthermore, I have a new composition "PZAZZ" being premiered as part of the South Brisbane Federal Brass Band Composition Competition on July 8th. Also added to the repertoire were arrangements of Percy Code's "At Dawn", and famous spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".

On top of my brass band music, I have had my tertiary studies, in which I have composed four unique works. Lust for tenor trombone and oboe draws inspiration from Sylvano Bussotti and Luciano Berio, while Quest for cello trio explores a zest for adventure and purpose. This semester, I have finalised a work for the MSO Pizzicato Effect entitled Backyard Battle, which will be workshopped and hopefully performed later this year. On top of that, I wrote a composition Wrath for our residency artist scapegoat, a duo of saxophone and percussion. This will be premiered at Monash University later this year. Keep your eyes peeled for that!

Other Ventures

However, writing music has not been the only venture I have undertaken. I have kept up my performing in groups like The Quirks and Northern Brass. I am volunteering with community radio stations 3MBS and Radio Monash, as a reviewer and presenter respectively.

Furthermore, I have started interviewing individuals from the community banding scene about their thoughts on developing and growing banding, as well as tackling the issues within our banding world. With individuals like Andrew Snell, Megan Stapleton, Erin Ellenburg, Michael Mathers and Fletcher Mitchell, I am hoping to create a neutral platform for various individuals in the banding scene to express their opinions and provide valuable insight.

What You Can Do to Support Me

Well, there's plenty of things you can do to help support me going forward. They include;

Sign up to my email newsletter here. It's the best way to ensure you're getting all my updates, so you don't miss anything! I only send one email a month, so you won't be swamped with junk!
Need any arranging, transcribing or commissioning work? I've recently uploaded a Services page, and will be offering my music writing services! I can arrange any works by a composer who passed away prior to January 1st 1955, if that helps you find inspiration!
If you run a band and are looking for some new material, give my existing works a consideration on my e-Store! They all fit very nicely into a concert repertoire! If you're not sure what work will suit your band, please send me a message and I will help find the best work for your ensemble!
Share my name around! It's all good and well for my close friends and colleagues to be following what I do, but I will learn and experience more if I can also work with musicians I don't know. Feel free to share my Facebook page, invite friends to my website and drop my name to anyone looking for new Australian music.
Make contact! If there's something you'd like to say about my website, or even what may seem a silly question, please shoot through an email or a Facebook message. It is so helpful to hear directly from you all what you're liking and what you think I can work on.

Music I've Been Listening To

I have heard your requests, and have compiled a new collection of music for you to check out!

Despite missing his performances at the 2017 Melbourne International Jazz Festival, I have been loving Tigran Hamasyan's latest album An Ancient Observer. Most impressive is his ability to blend virtuosic piano with vocal percussion and layered vocal lines.

Favourite Tracks - Ancient Observer, Fides Tua and The Cave of Rebirth.

An unintentional find (and probably a source of study procrastination), I stumbled across an Australian soul R'n'B singer by the name of Jordan Rakei. His 2016 album Cloak is a gorgeous balance of chill jazz electronica (like "Blame It On the Youth") and soulful ballads. Definitely a singer I'll be keeping tabs on.

Favourite Tracks - Midnight Mischief, Tawo and Rooftop.

Another accidental find, I stumbled across the Eryn Allen Kane's four-track EP Aviary: Act 1 and loved her soulful and funky tunes. Lots of funky vocal choruses and catchy melodies, this whole EP is worthwhile listening to, and is packed with plenty of punch for its 16 minute duration!

Favourite Tracks - Bass Song and Have Mercy.

And finally, here's a little something that I witnessed at Cory Henry's performance at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. Fantastic musicianship all round, plus some funky grooves to get you dancing through the dullest parts of the week! Wait for the funky fever around 12 minutes in!