2015 piece written for the carillon (bell-tower) at the University of Sydney.

Performed by Amy Johansen.

Eddy Avenue (for carillon)

Erected in 1879, the Garden Palace was one of Sydney's most majestic buildings. It stood in the centre of the Royal Botanic Gardens, overlooking the harbour, and was several times larger than the Queen Victoria Building. In 1882, it burnt down, destroying thousands of precious artefacts and materials. Included in the casualties were the instruments of the Eastern Suburbs Brass Band. In my piece, I pay tribute to the memory of that amateur brass ensemble and the loss they may have felt. My composition—for trombone trio—begins with a fanfare, quoting colonial music of the 1800s, before progressing into stranger and darker material, corrupted by the memory of this extraordinary and tragic event. It was written in conjunction with Jonathan Jones' public art project Barrangal Dyara, showing in the Botanic Gardens from September 17 to October 3.

Tenor sax: Carlo Antonioli
Trombone: Jacob Gross
Trombone: Fenn Idle

In Memory of The Eastern Suburbs Brass Band

For centuries Polaris (or the North Star) has been used by travellers to navigate the globe. Looking at the night sky it appears as a single, constant bright point of light that remains fixed in space while other stars move around it. What we fail to realise is Polaris is in fact a multiple star system - the North Star is actually three stars in close proximity. This deception provided a source of inspiration while writing for six pianos. The ensemble is heard as a unified body - a superinstrument capable of things that would be impossible on solo piano.

Yet, there remain traces of individuality, parts diverge from one another and over time the multiplicity of this musical system becomes more evident. Looking through a telescope at Polaris, it shifts in and out of focus - is it one star or is it three? We perceive a blurred image of unity, with glimpses of the individual components providing insight into the inner workings of the system.

By Fenn Idle and Ciaran Frame © 2015

Performed at Theme & Variations Piano Services in their 'Take Six' 30th Birthday Piano Extravaganza.

Piano One: Clemens Leske
Piano Two: Reomi Mito
Piano Three: Gabriella Pusner
Piano Four: John Luxton
Piano Five: James Huntingford
Piano Six: Andrew Rumsey

Polaris (with Ciaran Frame) for six pianos

From Nothing (for piano trio)

Hail (for disklavier)

Train Death

Honours graduate in Composition from the Sydney Conservatorium. 

Contact: fenn.idle[at]gmail.com