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Richard Bolley  

Concerto for Orchestra

Duration: 24' 00" Year: 1993
for trumpet, clarinet and cello soloists and orchestra

Lyell Cresswell  

Concerto for Orchestra and String Quartet

Duration: 25' 00" Year: 1996
for orchestra and string quartet

Philip Norman  

Concerto for violin, piano and orchestra

Duration: 20' 00" Year: 1995

  • Instrumentation
    2222; 4331; timp; 2 perc.; strings
  • Programme Note

    In 3 movements, this work was reviewed as follows, “There are proper tunes, there are pattems that can be traced, brass and percussion in abundance, and rhythms that dance light off the stage at you.” Christchurch Press 11-95. This work was commissioned and premiered by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

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Michael Williams  

Convergence - Triple Concerto

 Year: 2007
for violin, cello, piano and orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    2222; 22; timp.; perc.; str. with solo violin, solo cello, and solo piano
  • Programme Note

    The title of this work Convergence, occurred to me only after it was complete and it relates primarily to the second movement, which opens with a prelude that introduces somewhat pointillistic musical elements that eventually “converge” into a Passacaglia.

    There are three main sections in this work. The first two could be described as “movements” and the third a reprise of the Fantasy but substantially altered. Much of this piece is composed using a system of note clusters in a somewhat tonal environment, but Passacaglia inhabits more familiar territory.

    The two cadenzas in this work are for the solo strings, the cello cadenza is in the first movement and the violin’s is at the end of the Passacaglia. It seemed unnecessary and perhaps arbitrary to write a piano cadenza – there being a number of occasions where the piano has fairly virtuosic solo passages.

    Michael Williams

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Anthony Ritchie  

Double Concerto for bass clarinet and cello

Duration: 19' 00" Year: 1999

  • Instrumentation
    2222; 2200; 2 perc (bass drum, side drum, glock, xylophone, sus. cymbal, strings (87652 approx)
  • Programme Note

    The Double Concerto was designed to explore the unusal combination of solo instruments, extend the soloists and, at the same time, be performable by regional orchestras.

    The opening movement has a lilting quality and is based on the Brahms’ lullaby, which only appears (abridged) at the end, played on glockenspiel. The three themes that appear in this movement are related, in some way, to this lullaby. The movement is dedicated to my daughter Annabelle, who was born some months before the composition of this work. A short melody based on letters from her name (A-A-B-E-E) is played by the soloists in the coda.

    By contrast, the second movement is fast and jagged, with a somewhat playful second theme shared between the soloists and woodwinds. The main theme has a toccata-like quality, and builds up to a strong conclusion.

    Whereas birth was the theme behind the first movement, it is death that concerns the third, and in particular the sudden death of a close friend and musician, Angela Campbell, at the time of writing this concerto. It is an intimate piece for the two soloists only, and based on letters from Angela’s name (A-G-E-A) which are heard at the beginning as a recurrent bass line. The cello melody at the start is a variation on a melody from the first movement, suggesting birth and death are inextricably linked.

    The mood lightens in the finale which is a slightly bizarre waltz based on two contrasting themes. Near the end, the soloists have a cadenza which flows into the coda uninterrupted.

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David Hamilton  

Double Percussion Concerto

Duration: 12' 00"
for 2 percussionists and orchestra

John Rimmer  

Europa

Duration: 25' 00" Year: 2002
concerto for brass band and orchestra

  • Instrumentation

    Orchestra:(1)2,2,2(1),2(1); 4331; timp., perc. (3), hp; strings. (Percussion: small and large suspended cymbals, tam tam, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, tubular bells, snare drum, 2 bongos, 3 tom toms, bass drum.)
    Brass Band: sop cornet, solo cornet, 1st cornet, 2nd cornet, 3rd cornet, flugelhorn, tenor horn, baritone, tenor trombone, bass trombone, E flat euphonium, E flat bass, B flat bass
  • Programme Note

    In composing this concerto I recognise two contrasting musical cultures within the European artistic tradition. The Brass Band represents what I call a ‘closed’ musical system portrayed by its standardised instrumentation heard to great effect in its stirring marches, sonorous hymn playing, contest pieces and arrangements of popular and show music, while the orchestra with its dazzling array of many instrumental colours, its flexible instrumentation and its potential for pushing musical boundaries, represents an ‘open’ musical system. I wanted also to exploit the virtuosic capacity of the brass band as a concerto soloist and to celebrate through this work the unity and solidarity amongst brass musicians.

    Europa is a one movement work in five main sections which alternate slow atmospheric music with a fast and rhythmic style. The latter is heard in the many rapid passages which switch from band to orchestra and vice versa. Notable also is the relationship between the band and the orchestra particularly in the cadenzas for the brass band followed by the orchestral brass.

    I was spurred into composing this work after reading about Europa, one of the large moons of the planet Jupiter first seen by Galileo in 1610 and named after a goddess of Greek mythology. Such thoughts were instrumental in generating my first musical ideas, for instance the name ‘Europa’ is represented by a six note melody heard throughout the work. However, my initial thoughts about Europa receded as I explored and developed the musical material. ‘Europa’ was commissioned by the Auckland Philharmonia. The work was first performed by the Dalewool Auckland Brass and the Auckland Philharmonia conducted by Miguel Harth-Bedoya on 13 June 2002 in the Auckland Town Hall.

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John Psathas  

Percussion Concerto

Duration: 23' 00"
for four percussion soloists and symphony orchestra

Robbie Ellis  

Relish in Immature Bombast

Duration: 12' 00" Year: 2012
for organ, drum kit & orchestra

  • Instrumentation
    3[1.2.p]33[1.2.Eb]3[1.2.contra]; 4331; timp.; 2 perc.; organ; drum kit; strings (conductor needs a referee's whistle)
  • Programme Note

    In others’ words:

    “ONE TWO!” – Jono Sawyer, drum kit soloist.

    “There’s a specific face that I make when trying not to lose my dignity and I am making that face now.” – Cordelia Black

    “That was weird. Batman and Joker’s love child?” – Rueben Waine

    What were you thinking [of the title]?! It’s just too silly for words.” – Eva Radich

    “This thing is outrageous. Good on you!” – Adrian Hollay, recording engineer for Workshop 3

    “I read that as ‘piece for organ, drunk and orchestra’.” – Justine Pierre


    The composer blogs about this work here: http://www.robbie.co.nz/2012/03/03/orchan-orgestra/

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Mike Nock  

Sketches

 Year: 2007
for solo bassoon, orchestra, and jazz trio

  • Instrumentation
    Jazz trio consists of guitar, drumkit and double bass
  • Programme Note

    Sketches is a contemporary concerto for bassoon and orchestra written to feature the extraordinary talents of bassoonist Colin Hemmingsen. The bassoon part can be played as written, or improvised freely according to the soloist’s whim.


    The piece begins with a short melodic statement from the strings that is repeated with a bassoon obbligato followed by a short developmental section resolving to A minor. A transitionary passage with call and response between bassoon, woodwinds and strings is then heard before a bassoon solo cadenza to end. Throughout this movement the bassoon is heard in a fairly conventional setting with minimal improvisation, very much in contrast to the two following movements.


    The second movement begins with a repeated ostinato under the bassoon’s free melodic line leading to a rhythmic string figure which introduces a blues-influenced segment with bassoon, guitar, bass and drums. A short orchestral interlude is next before the lyrical middle section, followed by another interlude ending with solo bassoon. A brief canon from the strings evolves into a driving bassoon solo backed by strings and woodwinds and the movement ends with an energetic drum-focused group improvisation.


    The third movement introduces a new theme in 3/4 time that becomes the basis for further developments and continued soloing from the bassoon before the theme finally returns in a modified form to finish with the bassoon playing an extended solo cadenza.

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