Out Of The Blue Composing Thrills

There are many thrilling aspects to the life of the composer. To create something unique for, and maybe with, a specific group of musicians and see the process through from its inception to its triumphant finale is the most frequent thrill for this particular composer. To be asked by an ensemble or conductor to compose especially for a recital or occasion, where the score is then handed oveSt_Cuthbertsr to make of it as they will is another less frequent, but nonetheless exhilarating, if somewhat trepidatious, composerly thrill. To hear of performances of your pieces, either upcoming or completed, is, I have to say, possibly more thrilling yet, especially when those involved are not acquaintances in any way. They have selected your music based on its own particular exquisite qualities. It is very pleasing indeed!

It has been my particular privilege during the last few days to not only hear of two such upcoming performances, but to be invited along to provide enthusiasm and first-hand insight. Firstly to St. Cuthbert’s College in Auckland to hear the Junior Black Watch Singers tackle “The North Wind” with extreme eagerness and carefulness, and then to Craighead Diocesan School in Timaru where the Chorale are busily and sensitively recreating the surprising and evocative soundscapes of “The Moon”.

Both pieces were composed in New Zealand. The Moon was one of my first ever choral pieces, one of a set of five using texts by Robert Louis Stevenson and submitted as part of my MMus folio in 1989, and The North Wind was composed for a primary school in Papakura while I was the NZ Arts Council’s Composer-In-Schools in 1992.

The assiduousness of both conductors, Amelia Giles and Vicki McLeod, towards the execution of performance details to create the wished-for effect is humbling. The zeal and cheerful concentration of the young singers to not only get it right, but also to create an appropriate atmosphere and reflect the composer’s (that is, my!) intentions is tremendous, and makes me properly smile with delight, I don’t mind admitting.

The Junior Black Watch Singers are preparing for a performance at the Kids Sing event in Auckland next week organized by the busy and wholehearted New Zealand Choral Federation. I am unable to attend that concert unfortunately, but the thrills are not yet over for me, as the mounting coincidences of this trip to New Zealand, culminate in the performance of “The Moon” in Dunedin while I am visiting the city. I will be able to hear Craighead Chorale at their peak of performance intensity as they present their recitals to the judges of The Big Finale, and I know for sure that I will not be able to stop myself smiling along at the thrill of it.

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