Somewhere in the Middle explores the notion of cultures and composers feeling a loss of identity and place in their own music. It leads the listener to question whether feeling a sense of identity and place in a work of music is important and whether imposing labels on music is really necessary. This work seeks to blend traditional and contemporary musical worlds and is influenced the contemporary classical music of Seoul, South Korea.

Performer: Elliot Pascoe
Recorded: 2012
Composed: 2011

Somewhere in the Middle (solo piano)

Lisa Cheney is an emerging Australian composer currently based in Melbourne. Her music has been performed by the Southern Cross Soloists, The Australian Voices, The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Ady Ensemble, Belladiva, Ensemble Fabrique, Syzygy and The Australian Ballet, amongst others. She studied her undergraduate and Master degrees at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music (QCGU) with Gerard Brophy and Gerardo Dirie, and has also received lessons from renowned composers William Duckworth, Philip Bracanin, Iain Grandage, Robert Aldridge and David Dzubay.

Lisa has written for a variety of mediums including orchestra, chamber ensemble, choir, ballet, theatre, film, animation and electronic tracks for live performance collaborations. Her composition accolades include being the recipient of the Glen-Carter Varney Award for Composition (2009), first places at the MTAQ Gold Coast Composer’s Competition and the ASME Young Composer’s Competition (2004-2010), the Bill Murray Encouragement Award for Composition (2009), first prize at the Keys Festival for Australian Music (2006), the Griffith University Owen Fletcher Postgraduate Award (2008), an Australia-Korea Foundation Scholarship (2011) and the Silver Harris and Jeff Peck Composition Prize (2014). She has participated in the 2010 Atlantic Music Festival (Maine, USA), the 2012 Australian Youth Orchestra National Music Camp, the 2013 Brevard Music Centre Institute (North Carolina, USA) and the 2013 Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Cybec 21ST Century Composers’ Program. Her work The Pool and the Star, written at part of the Cybec Program, was most recently selected by the MSO for performance at the Metropolis New Music Festival under the baton of Finnish maestro Olli Mustonen.

As part of her Master of Music research Lisa has written papers exploring various experiences of other early career female composers in Australia.  In late 2014 Lisa will commence a PhD in composition at the University of Melbourne with prominent Australian composers Elliott Gyger and Stuart Greenbaum.
	
 In addition to a busy writing schedule, Cheney enjoys supporting the careers of other emerging composers and artists as the founder of the Brisbane Composers’ Forum, enjoys singing as a member of The Australian Voices and through private music tuition at her home on the Gold Coast.  She is currently working on commissions for The Ady Ensemble, The Melbourne Metropolitan Sinfonietta and The Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra.

Lisa Cheney is available to consider commissions and collaborations. Orders for scores and personal contact can be made through e-mail - lisajcheney@gmail.com

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Website: www.lisacheney.com.au
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