An Interview

I'll be recording a radio interview on Hobart ABC FM tomorrow afternoon (Thursday 25th of February). I gather it will be broadcast on Friday afternoon (26th of February) sometime between 2 and 4 pm.

Update

The interview dealt almost exclusively with Gregorian Chant and the revival of interest in it in the last decade.

Chant in Tasmania

Speaking, or rather emailing, with Maria Grenfell over the last few days we've decided that I should do some sort of introduction to performing Gregorian Chant whilst I'm in Hobart. It does make sense as I guess that is the other hat that I wear. Some time ago I anonymously authored a little book The Beginner's Guide to Chant (published by St Michael's Abbey, Farnborough) which seems to have been very successful. Anyhow in an how we'll try a potted guide to some of the issues surrounding authentic performance of the music on which much other early music is founded.

Residency February 2010

I'm undertaking a visit to the Hobart Con. in the next few weeks. It will coincide with the opening of the Academic year. I gather I'll be giving a seminar and be doing some individual teaching. Wearing my other hat I gather there's a mysterious stash of early instruments that need identifying. Who knows - we may find William Hance's organ!

I'm particularly interested in this institution as it's about the last of the 'old' Conservatoria in Australia to be left standing and it may be the only place offering a traditional training in the near future. The gorgons and banshees on the mainland have done their best to destroy any real educational value in favour of being able to tick the right boxes for what ever political master they're crawling up to at the time.

Oh well there goes my mainland residencies!

Scores 1999-2000

The Noteworthy Scriptorium maintains copies of four pieces from about ten years ago. These are in NWC format. (1) Searching for Plum Blossoms for solo guitar, (2) The Pioneer for wordless chorus, (3) Double Concerto: The Gift of the Magi for organ, harpsichord and orchestra, and; (4) The Ladye of Shallotte for string orchestra. To access these go to; http://www.nwc-scriptorium.org/.

Leaving my mark circa 1979

Yes, folks you'll be glad to discover that I've found my way into the National Archives. This gem was found using Picture Search on the NA website. I have no memory of the event whatsoever. It was the late 70s or early '80s you know. The picture is taken at the end of the 'work room' in the Grainger Museum at the University of Melbourne; the piano a duo art reproducing instrument from Percy's own collection (I'm probably holding a roll of Country Gardens). The dignitary was from Singapore and the suit a three piece reversible from Roger David's.

Welcome

This blog is an experiment at making some of my scores and recordings available to a wider audience. I realise a blog is a rather unusual format to do this but I wanted to create something that could be revised frequently and not get too stale. Nothing is as sad as an unloved webpage documenting past glories with no happy ending. As I write this only one piece of mine remains in the audio catalogues (I Heard the Owl Call my Name) and I've discovered it's actually very hard to keep track of exactly who's performing what and where at any time. Anyhow here is the beginning of a place to keep what I'm prepared to let out of the chamber of horrors otherwise known as my compositional output. Any updates and contributions are very welcome.