Date: 4 August 2007
Venue: City Recital Hall, Angel Place
Date: 11 August 2007
Venue: Riverside Theatres Parramatta
Presented in collaboration with ABC Classic FM
Internationally renowned percussion ensemble, Synergy Percussion, joins forces with Halcyon and Ensemble Offspring to present Steve Reich’s seminal work for large ensemble, Tehillim. This driving, inspirational piece, sung in ancient Hebrew and based on biblical psalms, forms the centrepiece of a program that explores all possible combinations of the three ensembles. Steve Reich, one of the leading composers of the minimalist style, has embraced not only aspects of Western Classical music, but also the structures, harmonies, and rhythms of non-Western and American music, particularly jazz. "There's just a handful of living composers who can legitimately claim to have altered the direction of musical history and Steve Reich is one of them," states The Guardian (London).
Other works on this truly international program are:
Ligeti (Hungary) - Sippal, dobbal, nádihegeduvel, mezzo soprano & percussion ensemble
Vivier (French Canada) - Bouchara, for soprano & ensemble
Damien Ricketson (Australia) – world premiere of a new work for glass percussion and ensemble
Ensemble Offspring and Halcyon are two of the most dynamic ensembles to have recently emerged in Sydney’s contemporary music scene. Their collaboration with Synergy Percussion, whose career spans a 33-year history of performances both in Australia and overseas, will provide audiences with an opportunity to sample a wide range of musical styles and above all to experience an engaging and uplifting performance of music for voice, percussion and instrumentalists.
PROGRAM
Steve Reich - Tehillim for large ensemble (1981)
Georgy Ligeti - Sippal, dobbal, nádihegeduvel, mezzo soprano & percussion ensemble (2000) ^
Claude Vivier - Bouchara, for soprano & ensemble (1981)
Damien Ricketson - No More Than Liquid, for percussion and ensemble (2007) *
* World Premiere ^ Australian Premiere
ARTISTS
Synergy Percussion, Halcyon & Ensemble Offspring
Roland Peelman conductor, Alison Morgan soprano, Belinda Montgomery soprano, Jenny Duck-Chong mezzo-soprano, Jo Burton mezzo-soprano, Lamorna Nightingale flute, Sally Walker flute, Ngaire de Korte oboe, Shefali Prior oboe, Jason Noble clarinet, Diana Springford clarinet, Rob Lllewellyn bassoon, Zubin Kanga keyboard, Sally Whitwell keyboard, Veronique Serret violin, Sophie Cole violin, Nicole Forsyth viola, Geoffrey Gartner cello, Lauren Brandon double bass, Claire Edwardes percussion, Adam Jeffrey percussion, Timothy Constable percussion, Bree van Reyk percussion, Michael Askill percussion, Jess Ciampa percussion
Recorded by ABC Classic FM for International broadcast
Broadcast by ABC Classic FM Friday 18 January 2008 8pm