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Claire Cowan  

'Whetu-Rere' - The Sea Lion and the Comet

Duration: 22' 00" Year: 2007
for voice and mixed chamber sextet with taonga puoro

• Instrumentation
  for bass clarinet, synthesizer, strings, piano, percussion, taonga puoro (including bone flute, wooden flute, gourds, river stones, whirler, sticks) and voice
• Availability

  • 'Whetu-Rere' - The Sea Lion and the Comet  Year: 2007 

    Video
    

Jack Body  

14 Stations

Duration: 20' 00" Year: 2000
for amplified pianist

• Programme Note

  A music-theatre work especially written for Wellington pianist Dan Poynton. Although referring indirectly to religious symbolism, the composition focuses on the physical and mental stress that pianists submit themselves to.

• Availability

  • Body: 14 Stations; computer-set 

    Full score | Hardcopy - computer set
    
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  • Jack Body: 14 Stations 

    Digital sound file - MP3
    

  • Body: 14 Stations 

    Video
    
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  • Body: 14 Stations; cassette 

    Cassette
    
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Juliet Palmer  

5 Cactus Dreams

Duration: 05' 00" Year: 1988
for voice and chamber ensemble

• Instrumentation
  vocalist, oboe, tenor saxophone, viola, cello, cactus and camera flash. Performed in darkness with light flashes to trigger each movement - performers also walk while playing.
• Availability

  • Palmer: Five Cactus Dreams; facsimile 

    Graphic score - full score | Hardcopy - facsimile
    
    $10.00
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Felicity Williams  

A Cat and Mouse Love Story

Duration: 15' 00" Year: 1991
a dance drama for assorted classroom instruments

Philip Norman  

A Christmas Carol

Duration: 1h 40' 00" Year: 2001
ballet music for orchestra

• Instrumentation
  2222;2221;timp,2perc,keyboards;strs
• Programme Note

  Our version of A Christmas Carol began as a glint in Russell Kerr’s eye. I remember a phone call from Russell in late 1988: “Philip – I think I’ve got an idea for a ballet that might work…”.

  Two years later, A Christmas Carol opened in the Theatre Royal, Christchurch in a polished production by Southern Ballet, with Russell himself in the demanding dual roles of Scrooge and choreographer.

  The success of the Southern Ballet’s presentation led to an unexpected invitation from Angela Gorton, then General Manager of Canterbury Opera.

  “Would it be possible to convert the ballet into an opera?” Angela asked. “You’ve got to be joking” I remember thinking. “Yes, of course, no problems” I replied.

  The temporary bout of insanity continued. I chose to write the libretto, as well as taking on the challenge of converting what was an electronic tape score into a 500-page manuscript for live orchestra and singers.

  Thankfully, as it transpired, much of the original electronic score translated fairly readily into the different medium. At most, keys and speeds were altered, and occasional phrases tweaked to suit the range and breath requirements of the human performers. This left under half the ballet requiring either substantial revision or fresh material.

  1993 disappeared in a blur of notes, rhyming couplets and spectral apparitions. One memory remains clear, and that is the thrill of seeing my labours brought to life in a gratifying premiere season of the opera by Canterbury Opera.

  Someone once said ‘being a composer in New Zealand must be like being a bullfighter in Finland”. Certainly conventional wisdom has it that while a first performance of a new work is relatively easy to secure, opportunities for subsequent performances are as rare as a happy Wagnerian heroine.

  Thus it was with relish and gratitude that I leapt upon the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s invitation to turn my opera score back into a ballet. This time, it was to be for humans to play, and a full orchestra no less. Oh joy oh bliss.

  And it has given me the opportunity to use the wonderful line – I spent most of 2001 decomposing.

  I feel enormously privileged to have the opportunity to work once again with Russell, Kristian, the Royal New Zealand Ballet and, of course, Charles Dickens.

  Philip Norman
  Composer
  “A Christmas Carol”

Philip Norman  

A Christmas Carol

Duration: 1h 41' 00" Year: 1990
three act ballet with music for computer controlled keyboards

Chris Cree Brown  

A Frame of Mind

 Year: 1979
electriacoustic music score for film

Dorothy Buchanan  

A Going Concern

Duration: 01' 00" Year: 1983
Music written for a TVNZ production

• Instrumentation
  For Cello and Piano

David Downes  

A Green Piece

 Year: 1989
dance score for tape

• Programme Note

  “Habits and routines and the struggle to change them……” Created for choreographer Sarah Major.

• Availability

  • David Downes: Saltwater  Year: 1993 

    CD
    
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Victoria Kelly  

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Duration: 1h 00' 00" Year: 2000
music for theatre production

• Instrumentation
  electronic media and assorted instruments (including cello, piano)