Prelude 10 (G♭) is a little fugue, played very softly in the upper registers, with the una corda pedal always depressed and both hands two octaves higher than written. It is to be played delicately, prettily, as if something old and familiar is being performed using a little music box. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 10

Prelude 11 (G) is a choral piece with a melancholic ‘Alleluia’. It is turbulent in the middle, then moves towards a colourful, grand climax, finishing with a sad duet. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 11

Prelude 12 (A♭) is like an epilogue, harp-like, shimmering and delicate. This is about timbral effects, not so much melody and grounding. Pedal effects are needed to create a glassy effect. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 12

Prelude 3 (B) is speech-like, inspired by how rap manipulates rhythm. Triplets, poly rhythms and syncopation play into the contemporary style. The climax around bar 28 is lots of fun. The final two bars are inspired by Chopin’s Prelude Op. 28 No. 3 (G major), finishing in unison. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 3

Prelude 7 (E♭) moves between agitation, frustration and moments of relaxation that release any tension. The agitation and impatience grows towards the end, with an accelerando towards the sudden conclusion. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 7

Prelude 4 (C) plays around with C major, a straightforward key but instead this prelude staggers around the key. C major could be all white keys but this prelude decides to be something different. It sounds mysterious and confused. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 4

Prelude 6 (D) is like the end of a party, having to pack up and go home but remembering sentimentally all the good times. It is like a memory of a waltz. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 6

Prelude 8 (E) is a simple ballad, warm, comforting, song-like and familiar. There are some interesting moments of imitation as the prelude unfolds into a duet. The ostinato B to F♯ should always be in the background. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 8

Prelude 9 (F) is a fun small moment in time, like being picked up and twirled around as a child. The harmonic colours change throughout until the final brilliant cascading F6 chord, followed by a dizzying cadence, trying to find the ground again. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 9

Prelude 2 (B♭) is formed around a chromatic walking bass with blues figures in the right hand. There are hints of a possible melody and the ternary prelude finishes with a strident ending. This prelude is confident and a little obnoxious. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 2

Prelude 5 (D♭) is in my favourite key. Like Chopin’s Prelude Op. 28 No. 4 (E minor), this shifts harmonically in a subtle way, one note at a time. The left hand has the melody until the climatic moments. Augmented chords help to provide more colour. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 5

Prelude 1 (A) is a virtuosic study with arpeggios exploring chromatic seconds in the right hand, and melody in the left hand. Small counter-melodic moments appear in subsequent sections and the prelude finishes with a possible cadence that fades to a lamenting minor second. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Prelude 1

Liana’s Daydream was written for a 9-year-old Conservatorium student who is quite wistful herself, but coincidently, Liana’s Lounge, a sculptural park, also sits outside the Conservatorium at South Bank, a perfect place for a lunch break and contemplating. The piece begins with a misty version of a clock chime and remains in a reverie throughout. There are moments in this piece where the mind wanders and dreams unexpected things. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Kurilpa 3. Liana's Daydream

Under the Grand Arbour uses A♭ lydian (purple) and D♭ lydian (green), with meandering cascading arpeggios to evoke images of bougainvillea on a clear blue sky day. An improvisatory-like theme is reminiscent of the unpredictable natural form of plant-life. The entire piece is built on six notes stated at the beginning, like the six steel prongs at the QPac start of the arbour walk. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Kurilpa 1. Under The Grand Arbour

Boundary Street is a light-hearted walk down the main street of West End, where on any given day, a wide variety of live and recorded music can be heard coming from the bars, cafes, shops, and buskers. Other ‘found sounds’ including the scramble crossing, alarms, lime scooters, bicycle bells, ringtones, and curlews, make their way into the mix. The ragtime style, representative of strolling down the street, contrasts with the musical interruptions, including electronica and blues music. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Kurilpa 2. Boundary Street

Fireworks explores the imagery of the various celebratory fireworks which can be heard throughout the Kurilpa peninsula and seen from vantage spots at South Bank and on Highgate Hill, during festive days such as New Years and Riverfire. This piece is joyful, full of colour via contrasts in touch, register, pedalling and modes. A little dramatic space can be taken at times when needing to reach accented octave chords and jumps. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Kurilpa 5. Fireworks

River Cat captures the joy of riding on the City Cat ferry on a sunny day, with the use of mellow seventh chords. The harmony and melodic direction often changes, like the winding Brisbane River where things look similar but different at the same time. The coda has the ferry arriving at its destination, with extra exuberance in a resolutely ‘groove’ moment. Sheet music at https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/search?q=rachel+hocking

Kurilpa 4. River Cat

https://www.australiancomposers.com.au/pages/rachel-hocking?_pos=1&_sid=2887cbd6f&_ss=r

Rachel’s compositional style draws upon classical idioms, combined with jazz and contemporary harmonic and rhythmic influences. She enjoys writing for piano as well as choral/sacred styles and some of her sacred works have been performed and recorded in the UK, USA and Australia. Rachel loves exploring texture and colour within a piece as well as using harmonic language to evoke imagery and emotion.

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