2022 In Review
2022 is but a distant memory, but in the madness of hurrying into 2023, it’s taken me this long to post an overview of the years musical/creative highlights. Here are a few of the big things that I got myself tangled up in last year:
Big year for Nonsemble
Nonsemble, my indie-chamber group, celebrated 10 years of playing together last year - what an honour it’s been to play with and learn from this amazing group of people for a whole decade! We also released our first full-length in forever, entitled Archaeopteryx, to glowing reviews and airplay on ABC Classic FM and WNYC New Sounds.
“Each track is distinctly unique and full of passion. The string arrangements are spellbinding and the way the ensemble leans into electronics and drum machines breathes life into everything they do. Anyone with a passing interest in string ensembles, art rock, contemporary classical or orchestrated game music will love this.”
-Simon Smith, Higher Plain Music
Mr. Maps Resurrected
Mr. Maps, my instrumental math-rock band, reformed after years of hiatus to write new material and play some shows. The door has opened for more math-madness and I’m excited about crafting more weird tunes with these legends.
This is a recording of one of the new songs live at Netherworld Arcade.
Magic City Counterpoint Gathering Momentum
Magic City Counterpoint, my electronic duo with Madeleine Cocolas, released our first single “Fern Bells” and struck up a collaboration with game designers Fuzzy Ghost. We have something exciting in store for early 2023, so stay tuned if you’re into strange textural electronica and surreal immersive experiences.
Flora Wong released Geburtstag, featuring my composition “Escapement”, for violin and metronome.
This was such an exciting collaboration with amazing inspiring musicians. I am so pleased with how the piece turned out. It’s been captured beautifully in this video by Greg Harm.
From the program notes: “The entrancing power of a simply steady pulse is to me one of music’s great mysteries. While the metronome is considered by most a tool rather than an instrument, in sonifying the otherwise silently abstract bars and beats, it cannot help but become a player in the music. Its persistent pulse transforms the accompanying material, giving percussive energy and a solid counterpoint to syncopation and polyrhythm. Unlike bars on the score, it is not silent, and it makes the music different. Even when the practice is over, the metronome’s echoes remain in the rhythm of the performance.”
Veronique Serret releases A Stolen Satellite for six-string electric violin & electronics
Legendary violinist Veronique Serret released PRIMA VOLTA featuring my composition “A Stolen Satellite” for six-string electric violin and electronics. I was so lucky to work closely with Veronique on the production of her album, which also features William Barton on Didgeridoo.
Libby Myers releases I Felt Unfettered and Alive for solo guitar
Libby Myers released her solo guitar album “Unfettered”, featuring my composition “I Felt Unfettered and Alive”. I wrote about this a little bit on the blog last year.
“Creeping heavily into this is my own style of playing, which in the last decade or so has been influenced by Kinsella-esque math-rock (American Football, This Town Needs Guns, toe, etc). Being decidedly un-classical, it was very interesting working together with Libby on this. Classical guitar technique seems to aim to smooth out timbral differences between the strings, to execute melodic lines with maximum fluidity. Math-rock playing, in contrast, leans into the timbral variations between open strings and fretted notes, between plucked and slurred notes. Fortunately Libby is not only a monster player but open-minded and broadly-skilled, so the end result has been like the best of both worlds - timbrally dynamic but effortlessly precise and beautifully suited to her classical instrument.”
We finally played Fibreglass Forestry again!
Nonsemble was joined by a bunch of talented friends to perform one of my favourite long-form compositions, Fibreglass Forestry, and premiere a beautiful new work by Briony Luttrell.
From the program notes: “Fibreglass Forestry is a large single-movement work that crystallizes spontaneous and fleeting gestures in the frozen form of fixed notation. In my work I am often caught between two competing interests: a Zen-influenced desire to leave my compositions loosely defined, dynamic, open to chaos; and a perfectionist compulsion to control every detail. Fibreglass Forestry mimics the spontaneity of improvisation within the contrived medium of notated music.”
And in other news, Hobart Chamber Orchestra performed my piece “a luminous moment, unfolded”, and I helmed UQ’s new in-house record label Corella Recordings through its first year of operations.
What a year! I am deeply grateful to everyone who has helped and supported me along the way, and all those I’ve been fortunate enough to share the journey with.