Work

Programme Note

“The sanskrit equivalent for initiation is abhisheka, meaning ‘sprinkle’, ‘pour’, ‘anointment’. And if there is pouring, there must be a vessel into which the pouring can fall. So at last we might really give up all these complications and just allow some space, just give in. This is the moment when abhisheka – sprinkling and pouring – really takes place, because we are open and are really giving up the whole attempt to do anything, giving up all the busyness and overcrowding. Finally we have been forced to really stop properly, which is quite a rare occurrence for us.”

(Taken from Chogyam Trungpa’s Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, from album Nederlands Blazers Ensemble: Zeibekiko, NBECD014).

The composer writes: ”Drafted immediately after reading a book by the Buddhist guru Chögyam Trungpa, Abhisheka was my first-ever attempt at writing music with space in it. Until this piece, practically everything I had written was ultra-caffeinated, fast, full of notes, and murder on performers. But having been (albeit temporarily) inspired by the great truths and peace in Trungpa’s writing, I found myself navigating slower passages of musical time, as well as exploring the microcosm of inner space between the even intervals of our chromatic tuning system.”

Abhisheka by John Psathas was chosen for the list of string quartets in 2000 for ‘IAMIC Sounds of the Year’. The composer has also prepared versions of Abhisheka for mixed chamber ensemble, this version performed by Manos Achalinotopoulos, Vangelis Karipis and Nederlands Blazers Ensemble at Paradiso, in Amsterdam in 2004, and for string orchestra (2008).

Programme note from the New Zealand String Quartet’s 2012 New Zealand at Kings Place concert.

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Performance History

	23 Aug 1998	Performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in Nelson
	14 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at Aotea Centre in Auckland as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	15 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at Aotea Centre in Auckland as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	16 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at Aotea Centre in Auckland as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	17 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at Aotea Centre in Auckland as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	20 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House in Hastings as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	21 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House in Hastings as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	24 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the TSB Theatre in New Plymouth as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	28 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at Regent on Broadway in Palmerston North as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	29 Feb 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at Regent on Broadway in Palmerston North as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	04 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Civic Theatre in Invercargill as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	07 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Regent Theatre in Dunedin as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	08 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Regent Theatre in Dunedin as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	12 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	13 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	14 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	15 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	19 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Westpac St James Theatre in Wellington as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	20 Mar 2008	Performed by Royal New Zealand Ballet at the Westpac St James Theatre in Wellington as part of the Red tour, choreographed by Adrian Burnett, designed by Tracy Grant Lord, and the performance used the recording of Abhisheka performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 from album, Rhythm Spike (Rattle Records).
		New Zealand String Quartet    Royal New Zealand Ballet
	28 Sep 2008	Performed by players from the Auckland Chamber Orchestra
		Auckland Chamber Orchestra
	26 May 2009	Performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999 and broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert in May 2009
		New Zealand String Quartet
	16 Jun 2009	Performed by the New Zealand String Quartet in 1999. This recording was broadcast on ‘Light on New Zealand Composers’ by Eva Light at 3mbs Melbourne, Australia
		New Zealand String Quartet
	13 Nov 2009	Performed by the New Zealand String Quartet
		New Zealand String Quartet
	31 Mar 2012	Performed by the New Zealand String Quartet as part of the “New Zealand at Kings Place. New Worlds, New Perspectives” series in London.
		New Zealand String Quartet
	18 Apr 2012	Performed at the “New Zealand in LA” Festival at REDCAT, Los Angeles, USA.
	09 Feb 2013	Performed by the New Zealand String Quartet at the Adam Chamber Music Festival
		New Zealand String Quartet

Awards

• IAMIC 'Sounds of the Year' (2000)
  

  Abhisheka by John Psathas was chosen for the list of string quartets in 2000 for ‘IAMIC Sounds of the Year’.’’