Composers
Each Wirripang composer is making a unique contribution to its stable of works which in turn is creating and leaving a lasting and available legacy for Australian culture.
Lindsay Aked’s melodic and clearly structural style is ideal for much of his music written with children and young performers in mind.
Composer, once a musicologist, Michael Atherton, writes works encompassing the screen and numerous other genres, including musical therapy, and collaborates with Indigenous Australian performers. Time spent in Papua New Guinea ignited in Betty Beath a lasting interest in the new sounds and rhythms of non-western music and she later expanded this interest by studying in Indonesia, the result of which is reflected in her instrumental, orchestral and vocal writing and her works have been performed extensively overseas. Many of our composers foster the work of Australian authors, one being Diana Blom, who also writes works for piano, strings, percussion and now is including electronics into her music. Colin Brumby is one of Australia’s most frequently broadcast and performed composers with a formidable list of works in many different genre. In the 1970s he turned against atonality, which was prevalent at this time and his works from then onward feature his distinctive style of tonality. The scholarly pianist, composer and innovator, Nigel Butterley, has left a lasting legacy for many generations to come. His work has been influenced by Tippett, Messiaen, Cage and of late, Gubaidulina. Her 70th birthday saw Ann Carr-Boyd chosen in the top 100 of ABC Classics survey of chamber music. Her output has resulted in performances in Europe and extensive performance in Australia and her involvement in music has been lifelong following in the footsteps of her musical and artistic parents. If you are looking for youth, go no further than Taran Carter who has been described as having “quasi populist vocabulary” as shown in his writing for film, television and theatre winning numerous awards in the process. Many Wirripang composers are also performers as exemplified by Andrew Chubb a versatile musician, pianist, string player, conductor and teacher. Another teacher is Steve Clark who also conducts and draws on tonality and atonality as he uses, amongst many other areas, his interest in astronomy. Teaching frequently extends into participation of music camps and Ian Cooper is one who took this road in addition to composing for brass and the many diverse ensembles that are found therein. Colour and quotations from the Pacific locale added to European heritage (lyricism and structural sense) mixed into a jazz improvisation context characterise the works ofBruce Crossman whose interests in abstract expressionist painters and poetry, drawn from the Pacific region, may be seen in each of his compositions. Writing for brass also attracted teacher and performer, Hugh Dixon who composed extensively in this area and then expanded to include voice where he wrote for his daughter, Wendy, Dixon as well as including horn works for his son, Michael. Conducting played a large part in the career of John Wayne Dixon who lectured and tutored at Wollongong University while somehow finding the time to compose a number of outstanding orchestral, ensemble and vocal works. Playing in orchestras leads to composition as is the case with Michael Dixon who has his own ensemble for which he composes producing brass, percussion and vocal works which have enjoyed performances throughout Australia and the world. A profound interest in American music coupled with an Irish quirkiness (see some of his titles) characterises Houston Dunleavy who is a scholar and composer extraordinaire in a broad number of genres. Classical training together with studying jazz vibraphone and jazz harmony and arranging influence the work of Ed Goyer, a performer and teacher in the main but he is now producing compositions fusing musical elements, in particular from Japan and East Asia, with his jazz interests. Diversity of musical interests and influences inhabit the sound world of Amanda Handel giving her a distinctive voice evidenced in her compositions which embrace, piano, flute, saxophone, percussion and brass. Visual images and text are a source of inspiration for Andrew Helberg an expat living in South Korea. Acting provided May Howlett with an income for many years until she found time to teach music which lead her back to her original love, composition where she seeks to explore the more unusual aspects of the instrument for which she is writing. The icon, Miriam Hyde remains one of the foremost Australian pianist and composers of the 20th century; her work encompassed teacher, examiner, lecturer and writer of numerous articles and analyses for musical journals. Her contribution to Australian music will endure. For atmosphere and evocative music characterised by beauty, intensity and richness of material look to Jonathan Little whose work is well known overseas. A diversity of background is demonstrated by Brennan Keats who was trained as an Accountant and then found teaching which lead to writing, followed by publishing; all the time he was performing, albeit in an amateur capacity and this lead to composition. Horace Keats has been described as the “Schubert of Australia”. He was essentially a songwriter but also composed for radio plays, film, ballet and other incidental music; his contribution as a songwriter has endured since his untimely death in 1945. Also from an artistic and creative background is Jocelyn (Jo) Kotchie who embraced an earlier career in fashion design before moving back to teaching piano and composing, specialising in works for young people. In contrast, Ji-yun Lee is driven by the Catholic faith to create music as a way of supporting migrant people experiencing difficulty in a new environment; her composing is cross-cultural in nature with a strong feminine inter-cultural identity in her work. A warm and vibrant performer, Gavin Lockley, baritone, composer and academic has written works with a strong Australian flavour, including “Symphony of Australia” and a series of songs based on bush ballads. John Martin’s considerable experience as a vocal coach and pianist lead him to write a number of works reflecting his love of voice and jazz. Mark Matthews’ other life centres around teaching, not only piano but engineering, however, he is more at home on the platform and for this he has written a number of piano works that not only benefit students but are finding their way into musical therapy. Organist and conductor, Brett McKern, has sourced his living from Church musical appointments and it is here that he has written extensively for organ and choirs; he is strongly influenced by the rich liturgical and music traditions of the Anglican and Catholic churches. Expressing the timberal sounds conceived by his imagination has enabled Peter McNamara to write a number of successful orchestral works that have been internationally recognized and as well, being extensively performed in Australia. Sofia Marita is a fine pianist who has extended her love of music to composition and it is here that she is strongly influenced by Eastern-European composers. Musical directorships, composing and producing are all familiar to Frank Millward who also lectures in composition, jazz, popular music and music technology at various universities as he explores the cross-disciplinary relationship between science, technology and art and all its implications. Kenja Communication Training has played a large part in shaping the music of Carolyn Morris with its focus on the subtle energies of communication permeating her works. The sounds of inland Australia in jazz are found in the works of Stephen O’Connell who has ‘gone bush’ on a number of occasions and recorded his experiences and impressions in musical notation and sound. Paul Paviour is a composer and organist who feels very strongly that the health of any musical culture lies not within the flagship companies but with the local choral societies and chamber instrumental groups, and it is here that he has directed much of his writing. A keen interest in tonal idioms as well as the energy and rhythmic propulsion in many popular music styles influences the work of John Peterson whose work is heard extensively in Australia and overseas. Influences of Rimsky Korsakov, Mahler, Bax, Walton, Janáček and Delieus, to name only a few maybe found in the works ofKevin Purcell whose compositions are performed both at home and overseas. A career of physical education balanced with a participation in choirs characterize the life of Sylvia Rice whose compositions are strongly melodic with a dance-like rhythm evidence of a strong and passionate nature. Working as a piano and guitar teacher John Spence is also a freelance composer who has explored a number of solo instruments, in particular, the harp. The work of Andrew Schultz covers a broad range including chamber, orchestral and vocal works which have been performed and broadcast internationally. The highly awarded academic and composer Larry Sitsky, continues to make an substantial contribution to the promotion of music worldwide. Robert Stove writer, editor, broadcaster, organist and choir master has composed since his early years; he writes mainly in the area of religious music and is strongly influenced by Hindemith, Walton, Honegger and Reger. One of the best known promoters of Australian composition is Margaret Sutherland who once said, “they [Australian composers] experience public indifference and a profound sense of isolation”; she was a legendary teacher and source of inspiration for young poets, composers and artists and remained throughout her lifetime a tireless ambassador for the promotion of music. Wendy Suiter in her mid 30s, decided to follow her passion for music through the formal study of composition. She is influenced by the intellectual rigor of both counterpoint and serial techniques and searches for the passion of the romantics. Hollis Taylor blurs the lines between classical, jazz and folk music and lectures “the music of nature and the nature of music” which is fed by regular field work documenting a number of Australian birds. Being recognized as a leading secondary and tertiary educationalist is only part of the talent of John Terry who extends this to writing film scores, being a pianist and holding a life-long interest in theatre. The overwhelming sense of antiquity in the ancient rain forest and rushing waterfall in her property gives Jennifer Trynes a source of inspiration; hers has been a lifetime interest in music education and composition from which she has produced a wide variety of piano works as well as tutor books for junior students. Phillip Wilcher was described by Miriam Hyde “as one composer who can succeed in a medium of sensitivity in spite of the ugliness and violence predominating in so many countries”. He has further been described by Dr Jeanell Carrigan as one who can “transport the listener to a café in Paris or to the top of a mountain in Java, his skillful use of harmony, rhythm, tempi creates the perfect atmosphere”. Tony Wheeler has a fascination with Chinese composition and this is shown in his works particularly for woodwind instruments while he maintains a busy teaching schedule. Stephen Yates' greatest love is writing for small ensembles, solo instrumentalists and especially for voice and harpsichord.