Stories Behind the Music
- Our Worlds Unfolding -
2024
"Compared to a star, we are like mayflies, fleeting ephemeral creatures who live out their whole lives in the course of a single day." - Carl Sagan
Thereʼs something about worlds coming together that brings to light the fragility of time. Our Worlds Unfolding is dedicated to those significant moments that pauses time and holds space for us; and in return fills us with the desire and courage to embrace uncertainty and move towards the alluring calls of the unknowns. Life is breathed into this piece through a moment that captures pause as small gestures are then introduced to reflect small moments of blissfulness, beauty, pain, resilience and resolve. Likewise, drawing on the interplay of brief profound moments that unfold, evolve and perish through the course of our lives.
From blended introspective gestural moments, Our Worlds Unfolding awakens and concludes with determined boldness, where eventual worlds collide and dance with push-and-pull of time and disruptions. Evolving rhythmic cells energetically create drive, depth and momentum through the orchestra, musically liberating us from apprehension allowing the listeners to lean into the certainty of the unknown. The ending highlights how momentum and drive itself is a powerful and emotive expression. Particularly in union and togetherness, the connected passages show how our interactions are intertwined and every gesture, leap, and choice leads to a change and transformation that shapes the worlds within and around us.
- When We Are Water -
2024
When We Are Water is inspired by the feeling of letting go in amidst the pulsing ebbs and flows of waves; the mindfulness and calm of being push back and forth by the motion of water.
Encapsulating the essence of embracing one’s identity within our unique communities, this work acknowledges the interconnectedness of humanity with the natural world. We embark on a voyage of introspection and release. As the strings weaves intricate melodies, they mirror the rhythmic patterns of nature allowing musical notes to flow freely like water and for us to discover the beauty of being in harmony with our surroundings and our people. When You Are Water is about setting free, being who you are liberation.
- Unearthing Connexions -
2023
Unearthing Connexions, looks into discovering the life of Mary Somerville through texts from “Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville” as inspiration and to form melodies to convey the essence of Somerville and her life as a woman scientist in the 19th Century. Mary Somerville was self-taught in mathematics, astronomy, geology and French. Her well-known abilities were awarded the Victoria Gold Medal of Geographical Society in 1870. Little known – in 1834 Mary Somerville was the first person to be publicly coined Scientist by William Whewell.
I. Strange Looking Lines
“Strange Looking Lines” takes inspiration from Somerville’s recollection of their first-time discovering algebra. All very coincidentally through a tea party when being shown dresses in a women’s magazine. Somerville recalls, “On turning the page I was surprised to see strange looking lines mixed with letters, chiefly X'es and Y's, and asked; "What is that?". “Oh," said Miss Ogilvie, "it is a kind of arithmetic: they call it Algebra”.
This movement explores how a spark of curiosity can lead to unwavering determination that changes the course of the world.
IIa .Curiosity & Amusement
Using woodwinds to represent the flutters of birds, we take a look at Somerville’s life as a child, disapproved of pursuing knowledge and taken out of school, she entertained herself in nature. She wrote: “I amused myself in the garden, which was much frequented by birds... I also watched the crabs, live shells, jelly-fish, and various marine animals, all of which were objects of curiosity and amusement to me in my lonely life.”
II.b Eccentric and Foolish
The texts “I was considered eccentric and foolish, and my conduct was highly disapproved of by many, especially by some members of my own family, as will be seen hereafter.” were directly translated to melodies and given to the bassoon to convey sadness and eccentricness.
III Excellent Little Library
“I was thirty-three years of age when I bought this excellent little library. I could hardly believe that I possessed such a treasure when I looked back on the day that I first saw the mysterious word “Algebra”, and the long course of years I had persevered almost without hope. It taught me never to despair. I had now the means, and pursued my studies with increased assiduity; concealment was no longer possible, nor was it attempted.”. - Somerville
- Gaze Upon the Liquid Sky -
2022
Gaze Upon the Liquid Sky pays homage to the beautiful and diverse sceneries and landscapes that Australia has to offer. The colourful and extraordinary star trails, outline of the hot red sun, the glows from the city lights, and ever expansive starry skies are all melted into a pot of colourful and magnificent liquid sky.
This piece is blended with the sounds of wildlife ambience recorded at Claudie River, a location deep in the rainforest of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia. At the beginning, in the still of the night we can hear crickets and insect trills, laughing calls of Australian Wood Frogs and gentle kooloos of the Marbled Frogmouths. The ending of the work, uses the actual times of natural twilight (astronomical, nautical, and civil) at Claudie River, Cape York to bring back daylight. The pulses and intensity of the insects slow, and the Australian Woodfrog calls become more distant within the rainforest as we begin to hear birdsongs from White-faced Robin and Dusky Myzomela which brightens the forest.
First conceived in one of Victoria’s longest lockdowns, this piece aims to bring our astonishing rural stars to listeners in any space and anywhere in the globe.
- Brushstroke of Time-
2022
The words ‘painted by brushstrokes of time’ came to mind as I pondered how time paints our most sublime picturesque landscapes, creating encounters of deep emotions, beauty, drama and devastation in equal parts.
Brushstrokes of Time is equally born as a response to the devastation of the 2022 floods in my hometown of Queensland, Australia. Witnessing from afar, the “before and after” gave a parallel glimpse into the power of nature and human community.
Through research, I discovered the artworks series of David Ambarzumjan. I was in awe, and equally surprised how similar our titles and concepts are. His ongoing collection of oil paintings in the series is about juxtaposing what was, what is and what may be, exploring different landscapes and places to show how the force of nature and humanity shaped our earth over time. I retained the original title however took inspiration from the painting and its visual juxtaposition.
In his own words:
“Before the world was created, it was just an empty dark space like an empty canvas, fast forward a couple of years and there’s life. Beautiful, colourful and diverse landscapes all around the world. The Brushstrokes tap into different time and places, and explore how the force of nature, and above all how we as humans, shape this planet...
Over time we have become the artists of our planet, radically painting what has been and creating something entirely new. I think it’s fair to say we left a big mark on this planet, and how it develops in the future is up to us to decide. The paintbrush is in our hands. I like to think we are all just brushstrokes on a big canvas that is the universe, and before we fade away as well, let’s shape our lives to be as colourful and impactful as it gets.” – David Ambarzumjan
- Weaving of Threads -
2021
Weaving of Threads is inspired by the vast and interconnected communication root network that is Mycorrhiza. Drawing parallels between the relationships of fungus and plants, this piece explores the symbiotic nature of human relationships through an ensemble of energy exchanges weaved together to form an evolving tapestry. The threads and connectivity are conceptualised to represent significant people who have supported, inspired and encouraged us during difficult periods of life; all who have left different shades of impressions that create the image of who we are today.
- Autumn Dawn -
2019
Composed in response to an introspective poetry, Dawn, written at the time of my grandpa’s passing. Autumn Dawn, instead of being a piece that laments, is a piece that is dedicated to those who have lost loved ones, with dawn as a representation of hope after loss. I wish to show appreciation to those who have loved, cared, and celebrated the life of their loved ones and further wish to dedicate this piece to my grandparents and great grandmother, who have instilled in me the love of music and nature.
- Autumn Dawn -
Autumn dawn;
billow of liquid gold.
Gently cradle;
glistens in her palm.
Chimes upon her;
calls to bring her home.
Dreaming of earth;
the weight within fades.
With a glimpse of light
the ambers of earth shine,
returns her back
to the state of dawn.
- In the Land of Curiosity -
2019
In the Land of Curiosity draws inspiration from the notion of curiosity. Inspired by a narrative written when I was a child and also by children who surround me. This piece follows an exploration of curiosity, beginning with the unknown and concluding with something familiar and known. “In the Land of Curiosity” also attempts to explore the possibility of unknowingly moving from one destination to another until arriving at its final destination. The initial melodic gestures are reinstated at the end to remind audiences of the beginning of their ‘musical journey’.
- Second -
2019
Second explores the moment a second passes after an individual’s fixation on an event. It explores the looming sensations experienced prior to the fixated event and the relieved sensation the second it passes.
- A Mind’s Requiem -
2018
Nostalgia is an evocative emotion we experience when the present meets the past. A beautiful and bittersweet feeling that we experience as we encounter an old interaction that we may never perfectly recreate. As time passes our memories fade; and as time passes, we gain more memories. These memories and the ones that remain connect us to the past, and in return, these memories give us a sense of perpetuity.
A real time moving requiem, Lives inside and is heard in perpetuum.
Hear, believe, With pure joy – relive.
Given time, the requiem fades.
Fades away, time opaques and light remains.
- In Transition -
2018
In Transition, commissioned for Science Gallery Melbourne’s PERFECTION Exhibition, draws inspiration from the Grainger Museum Courtyard and uses the open roof as representation of a spacecraft with a window to the “universe”. Stillness is represented through a lone passenger’s confinement and willingness to return to their bare essential at the reward of reaching Planet Perfection. This piece follows the individual’s transition, concluding before their arrival, with the journey explored through mimicking sounds of droning mechanics and glissandi. Emotions that are also explored include the possible dread, excitement, certainty, or even contentment the traveller could feel as they experience the interim of going towards the unknown. Upon arrival, if an individual can only contribute perfection to Utopia, can they maintain their identity?