River Lavalle

Here are some of my original works for string quartet, commissioned and performed by the Westbrooke Quartet.

Mijn, voor Mij: II – “Molto Espresso” by Iain Brandram-Adams

Rhythmic industrial/abstract piece for distorted microphone feedback and found sounds. Track 2 from the 1998 CD 'Death Defying' by David Downes

Ironlung

90% of New Zealand's lowland rivers and almost 50% of its lakes are polluted. River Lavalle is a chamber opera presented as a 1940s style radio play detective story with an underlying environmental theme written by Fiona Farrell and Chris Adams. 

Who has abducted River Lavalle? Was it the political indifference in the figure of Joe Politico? Or careless, exploitative farming in the person of Billy Kaukowski? Or the reckless consumption of resources personified by Bubbles Van Dam? And does River still wait somewhere in the shadows, ready to return? 

In this aria, Monica Lavalle is appealing to Sam Stone, a private investigator, to find her daughter.

I Need Your Assistance from "River Lavalle"

90% of New Zealand's lowland rivers and almost 50% of its lakes are polluted. River Lavalle is a chamber opera presented as a 1940s style radio play detective story with an underlying environmental theme written by Fiona Farrell and Chris Adams.

Who has abducted River Lavalle? Was it the political indifference in the figure of Joe Politico? Or careless, exploitative farming in the person of Billy Kaukowski? Or the reckless consumption of resources personified by Bubbles Van Dam? And does River still wait somewhere in the shadows, ready to return?

In this aria, Monica Lavalle is describing her daughter and lamenting her disappearance. 

Her Name Is River from River Lavalle

90% of New Zealand's lowland rivers and almost 50% of its lakes are polluted. River Lavalle is a chamber opera presented as a 1940s style radio play detective story with an underlying environmental theme written by Fiona Farrell and Chris Adams.

Who has abducted River Lavalle? Was it the political indifference in the figure of Joe Politico? Or careless, exploitative farming in the person of Billy Kaukowski? Or the reckless consumption of resources personified by Bubbles Van Dam? And does River still wait somewhere in the shadows, ready to return?

This is Bubbles Van Dam's aria "I wanna be."

I Wanna Be from River Lavalle

90% of New Zealand's lowland rivers and almost 50% of its lakes are polluted. River Lavalle is a chamber opera presented as a 1940s style radio play detective story with an underlying environmental theme written by Fiona Farrell and Chris Adams.

Who has abducted River Lavalle? Was it the political indifference in the figure of Joe Politico? Or careless, exploitative farming in the person of Billy Kaukowski? Or the reckless consumption of resources personified by Bubbles Van Dam? And does River still wait somewhere in the shadows, ready to return?

Joe Politico's role is for an actor (a non-singing role). This is Joe Politico's "aria" - Bureaucratic Dream.

Bureaucratic Dream from River Lavalle

Ironlung (Brutal Truth Cover)

Music for Quiet Mass.
Composed performed produced by Christopher Orczy 
May-December 2017
Mustel Harmonium, 1904.

Intercession

Absolution

Confession

Communion

1. Maestoso, Allegretto
2. Allegretto
3. Moderato assai

Performed by Louise Hwang, Emma Wu and Francesca Orchard-Hall in the final round of the New Zealand National Schools Chamber Music Contest in Wellington, August 6 2018. Their performance received the Gold Medal, People's Choice and Best Performance of a NZ Work awards. Recorded by Radio NZ Concert FM.

Trio for two oboes and cor anglais

track from new album, hurdy Gurdy & Pure data.

Go to kerian.bandcamp.com the hear the rest.

07  - hG&Pd

Chaos in the CBD 'Invisible Spectrum' feat. Isaac Aesili

Chris Adams (1979-) is a New Zealand composer and is the Head of Music at The Christchurch Rudolf Steiner School in Christchurch. He was the Mozart Fellow (2010-2011) at the University of Otago and the Auckland Philharmonia’s Composer in Residence (2009). Chris was the inaugural Artist in Residence at the Pah Homestead from July to September, 2010, a position he held again for a further three months in 2011.

Bureaucratic Dream from River Lavalle

Chris Adams Composer

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