Evolving Waves (November 2019)

Brian Baumbusch "Effigy" Interview Conducted by John Schneider, March 31 2022, KPFK Los Angeles

The Saucepot

Silken Samarkand Ruan Solo

@2017
for orchestra
commissioned by Ensemble Nouveau 
Conducted by John Keene 
Premiered at "Grace and Elegance: Schubert 5" at the Sydney Conservatorium in May 2017

Decadence

Felix Bornholdt - Piano
Ashley Stoneham - Drums
Jack Stoneham - Alto Sax

Featuring a speech written by Bruno Bich.

The Pen Club at Bohemian Grove 12.12.17

An interesting improvised collaboration with Adam Melzer on prepared piano, and myself playing gong ageng wadon, gangsa pemadé, and half a réong.  This is the second of two improvised works, and is the more experimental of the two.

Antipodean Diptych - II

Dedicated to Jasmine Mills, Dr Steven Capaldo and the Sydney University Wind Orchestra.

A hero is engulfed within a force larger than herself.

Rapture

Touching moment today, when checking out the acoustic in Tunnel Grić, the security guard, who was obliged to stop me , tip-toes over and silently signaled to stop recording , so as to not ruin my take, hvala puno gospodine! #undergroundmusic #zagreb #croatia #clarinet

Tunnel Gric Zagreb

Performed by Flinders Quartet. Concert footage filmed by 5stream; audio recorded, mixed and mastered by Ana Paula Gargantini, APGMproductions. June 22, 2019. Library at the Dock, Melbourne.

Video of performance can be found here - https://vimeo.com/345175559 

If you're interested in seeing the score, please get in touch.


PROGRAM NOTES

The String Quartet Project is the beginning of a journey that will never be completed. I will continue to add new movements to the piece indefinitely. This suite of music will grow and grow, each movement informing the next. The compositional approach of each movement is informed by the context in which it is written, and the ensemble who performs it: with each string quartet leaving their mark on the work as a whole.


I - The Slow Unfolding of the Self

These are the first marks made for the work. I wanted each note to have gravitas, hence the slow, austere mood. It is almost without pulse and utilises frequent dove-tailing. Harmonically, I've been inspired by the work of the American composer Elliott Carter.

II - Foreign Gravity

The second movement oscillates between soloist and the ensemble in a call and response-like fashion. Instructions to play freely, steady and aggressively are given. It consists of hocket-like sections, all-interval tetrachords and an absence of extended techniques.

The String Quartet Project (I) The Slow Unfolding of the Self [2019]

-Waringin-
Huge Banyan trees (Waringin/Bingin) are important landmarks in most Balinese village, often at a central crossroads.  These behemoth trees are allowed to grow untamed and often grow to nearly 50 metres.  They are highly sacred, and it is believed that both auspicious and malevolent spirits spend their time nearby these twisted, sprawling, almost grotesque trees. Like cathedrals in English towns, Banyan trees can be seen from hundreds of metres away; these age-old sentinels loom over the village.  The Balinese word "Bingin" carries a sense of strong and solid foundations, and as such these trees are a symbol of tradition. 

Composed by Oscar Smith
Dedicated to Dewa Alit and Gamelan Salukat
Performed by Gamelan Salukat
Recorded by Antida Studios at Balerung Mandera Peliatan
Mixed by Raka Bintara
Film by Ferdinand Parulian

Thanks to:
-Dewa Alit
-Aya Sukuma
-Dewa Artayasa
-Agung Oka Dalem Mandera
-University of Sydney
-Australian Cultural Fund
-Everyone who donated

Musicians/Pemain:
PEMADE 1: I Wayan Sumerta
PEMADE 2: I Dewa Gede Artayasa
PEMADE 3: I Kadek Putra Agustina
PEMADE 4: I Wayan Galung Marwanaya

KANTILAN 1: I Made Pagarat
KANTILAN 2: Dewa Gede Teja Nata
KANTILAN 3: Gusti Ngurah Trisna Adi Putra
KANTILAN 4: 

CALUNG 1: Gusti Ngurah Oka Wardana
CALUNG 2: Kadek Krisna Ripayana
JEGOG 1: I Wayan Sukadana
JEGOG 2: I Putu Okto Saputra

REONG 1: I Kadek Janurangga
REONG 2: I Putu Astianawan
REONG 3: I Wayan Wahyudika
REONG 4: I Kadek Krisna Arimbawa

SULING: I Wayan Ariadi
SULING: Made Dwi Cahya Diva
SULING: I Kadek Prima Santosa Dwi Putra

CENG-CENG: I Kadek Prima Santosa Dwi Putra
KENTUK: I Putu Raka Suantana
GONG: I Gusti Putu Alit Indrawan Mataram

Waringin

A piece on the subject of finding clarity as the immediate surrounds continue to blur. Composed for the Gildas Quartet and Lucy Humphris - written at Dartington while studying with Sir Harrison Birtwistle.

Duets

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)

Sung by the Scholars of St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

Born on a new day- John David & Philip Lawson (arr. Peter Knight)

Making Waves is a monthly series of curated playlists streaming one hour of quality, new composed music.  Founded in 2015, Making Waves shines a spotlight on the music of Australian composers. Fresh playlists are released on the first day of each month and older playlists are made available all year round via our archives; perfect for those with just a few minutes to explore one track or for hours perusing a myriad of diverse sound-worlds.


The project offers wider exposure to emerging composers, their music and the talented performers who champion it. We also provide an easy-to-access platform for listeners to sit back and enjoy a curated hour of exciting new music or explore our living composers more actively.  The playlist themes (and media through which they’re shared eg. Soundcloud, YouTube) evolve each month depending on the content received directly from our talented composers.

At its core Making Waves is a curated listening space. In 2016 we branched into producing our own content through a special project, Making Conversation, thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign. Making Conversation: Australian Composers Project is a series of podcasts and vodcasts presenting the human side of living Australian composers, released on popular audiovisual and social platforms mid-2017.
Composers Lisa Cheney (Melbourne) and Peggy Polias (Sydney) are curating this project.

 Listeners, we encourage you to explore current and past playlists and discover more about our featured composers. 

Composers, we encourage you to send us links to your streamable audio via our website. Visit: www.makingwavesnewmusic.com for more information.

Oscar Smith is a promising young composer with a wide spectrum of interests. 
He is also very passionate about Balinese Gamelan and regularly studies in Bali with local musicians.  Oscar studied Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium, where he primarily studied with Michael Smetanin. Oscar’s works have been premiered by SPIRAL ensemble, Gondwana Chorale, St Andrew’s Cathedral Choir, Voces Cælestium, double bassist Will Hansen, the Sydney Conservatorium Gamelan Ensemble, Gamelan Çudamani and Gamelan Salukat.

Waringin

Oscar Smith

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