Andrew Ford: The Scattering of Light http://www.andrewford.net.au/xscattering.htm

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Andrew Ford (b. 1957)

The Scattering of Light (2010) for violin, viola, cello and piano

The Scattering of Light was commissioned by the University of Queensland to mark its centenary, and so I tried to find a title a rationale for the piece that would link it to the anniversary and celebrate what all the best universities do: namely, send their le out into the world. The metaphor of light came early and seemed especially appropriate for a university with its main campus i Brisbane suburb of St Lucia, but I chanced on the actual title in Ian McEwan's novel, Solar. There are various musical analogies for teaching and learning in the piece, none of which, I hope, is necessary for an underst or appreciation of the music. These include the way in which different instruments take it in turns to lead the ensemble, while t others challenge, modify or expand on the musical propositions. In the last few minutes of the piece, the music becomes rathe simple with a transparent texture, and I would like to think it gives off its own light. Here the 'leading' instrument is the piano, its simple, 'reasonable' line consisting mainly of a gently repeated B flat. Then in the final seconds of the piece, all four instrumen suddenly go their individual ways, scattering their music as they go.

1 of 1 15/11/2011 4:13 PM Andrew Ford: compositions http://www.andrewford.net.au/comps.htm#thescattering

List of Compositions Stage

Stage Rembrandt's Wife (2007-09) 75 mins Orchestra Solo instrument & orchestra Opera Voice and orchestra Libretto by Sue Smith String orchestra Principal roles: Wind and brass Saskia van Uylenburgh (soprano) Choral Henrickje Stoffels (soprano) Voice and ensemble Geertje Dircx (mezzo-soprano) Voice and piano Govert Flinck (tenor) Voice and other instrument Rembrandt van Rijn (bass-baritone) Ensemble Titus van Rijn (non-singing child) Instrumental Five other small roles may all be taken by the tenor who sings Flinck Radiophonic N.B. Saskia and Hendrickje may be sung by the same soprano Music for young performers 1(=picc, alto fl)-0-1(=bass cl)-1(=contrabsn) / 1-0-0-0 / 1 perc / hp / 0-0-1-1-1 Arrangements Commissioned by Victorian Opera First performance by Victorian Opera Contacts Gary Rowley (Rembrandt van Rijn), Jacqueline Porter (Saskia van Uylenburgh/Hend for ordering scores Stoffels), Roxane Hislop (Geertje Dircx), Paul Biencourt (Govert Flinck/Torquinius/Jud (conductor), Talya Masel (director), Adam Gardnir (designer) Merlyn Theatre, CUB Malthouse, Melbourne, 18 April 2009

Read libretto (pdf 111 KB) Read composer's note Read librettist's note Night and Dreams: the death of Sigmund Freud (1999) 60 mins

Music-theatre For tenor and tape Libretto by Margaret Morgan First performance by Music Theatre Sydney (tenor), George Whaley (director), Eamon D'Arcy (designer) , The Opera Studio, Adelaide, 8 March 2000 See also the Night and Dreams netpage at www.heliotrope.com.au

Casanova Confined (1995) 35 mins

Music-theatre For baritone & tape Libretto by Margaret Morgan First performance by the Sydney Metropolitan Opera (Casanova), John Wregg (producer), Dan Potra (designer) Barossa International Festival, Red Floor Theatre, Angaston, South Australia, 6 Octo

Whispers (1990) 30 mins

Music-theatre For tenor & chamber orchestra Libretto by Rodney Hall 1(=picc)-1(=cor ang)-1(=bass cl)-0 / 1-0-1-0 / 1 perc / pno / 1-0-1-1-1 First performance by Gerald English (tenor & conductor) and the Seymour Group, Ba

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First performance by Austin Allen De IJsbreker, Amsterdam, February 1984

Wedding Songs (1981) 12 mins

For high voice and violin, or low voice and cello Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins, Beaumont & Fletcher, George Chapman, Robert First performance of low-voice version by Austin Allen and Ann Hart St Patrick's Church, Finglas West, Dublin, 8 July 1981

Ensemble

The Scattering of Light (2010) 15 minutes for violin, viola, cello and piano Commissioned by the University of Queensland First performance by Elizabeth Sellars, violin, Patricia Pollett, viola, Patrick Murphy, c Liam Viney, piano Customs House, Brisbane, 10 December 2010 Program note

Nine Fantasies about Brahms (2009–10) 20 mins

For violin, cello and piano Commissioned by TriOz with financial assistance from the Music Board of the Austral Council for the Arts First performance by TriOz Chevalier College, Bowral, NSW, 4 September 2010 Program note

The Spirit of the Staircase (2009) 4 mins For violin, cello and piano Commissioned by TriOz with financial assistance from the Music Board of the Austral Council for the Arts First performance by TriOz City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney, 17 November 2009

Variation on a Waltz by Schubert (2009) 2 mins

For violin, cello and piano Commissioned by the Seraphim Trio with the support of Ars Musica Australis First performance by the Seraphim Trio Independent Theatre, North Sydney, 8 October 2009

On Winter's Traces (2009) 5 mins

For piccolo, bass clarinet, piano, 2 violins, viola and cello Commissioned by the Australia Ensemble in celebration of its 30th birthday First performance by the Australia Ensemble Sir John Clancy Auditorium, University of NSW, Sydney, 18 September 2009

Chorales from an Ox Life (2007/09) 9 mins

For viola, cello and double bass First performance by Christa Jardine (viola), Richard Vaudrey (cello), Douglas Ruther (double bass) Australian National Academy of Music, Melbourne, 23 April 2009 Program note See also: Instrumental

Sculthorpe Dreaming (2009) 2 mins

For string quartet Commissioned by Arts in the Valley (Kangaroo Valley, NSW) to mark birthday First performance by the Goldner Quartet Kangaroo Valley Golf and Country resort, Kangaroo Valley, NSW, 3 May 2009

A Reel, a Fling and a Ghostly Galliard (String Quartet No. 2) (2006) 10 mins

Commissioned by Pamela Pearce and Wally Patterson First performance by Grainger Quartet Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, 5 November 2006 Program note

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Illegal Harmonies back in print News archive Performances 2010 May 2011. Andrew Ford's history of 20th century Performances 2011 music, Illegal Harmonies, based on his celebrated Performance archive radio series of the same name, has been republished Most recent CDs in an updated, 3rd edition by Black Inc. Latest books Some of Andrew Ford's books > Buy Illegal harmonies from Readings (Melbourne) no longer available in booksho Contact Andrew directly to purchase a copy of Speaking Tongues - the Songs of Van Morrison (AUD 25 + postage) New book: The Sound of Pictures See also: the Books page. November 2010. Andrew Ford's new book is The Sound of Pictures: Listening to the Movies, from Hitchcock to High Fidelity. Published on 22 Nove 2010 by Black Inc., the book looks at the ways directors have us music and other sounds in more than 400 films. How did Alfred Hitchcock use music to plant clues in his films? Why do some 'm soundtracks work brilliantly and others fall flat? How do classics Clockwork Orange to The Godfather, Cinema Paradiso to High use music and sound effects to enhance what we see on screen In addition to Ford's own essays, there are his interviews with fiv composers Ennio Morricone, , Dick Hy Lalo Schifrin and Howard Shore) and five directors (Bruce Beresford, Sally Potter, Wim Wenders, Peter Greenaway and Peter Weir).

> Buy The Sound of Pictures online from Readings, Melbourne

Premiere of Black Dyke Band Commission

November 2010. The world-famous Black Dyke will give the first performance of Andrew Ford's T Rising at Manchester's annual Festival of Brass January 2011. Commissioned by Black Dyke, Th is Ford's first work for brass band and was inspir the terrifying natural phenomenon of Australian b fires.

The composer will attend the premiere at the Ro Northern College of Music, which will be conduc Black Dyke's Principal Conductor and Director o

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Dr Nicholas Childs. In March 2010, Andrew Ford Black Dyke's headquarters in Queensbury, West Yorkshire, to see the historic band room for himself. In rehearsal, the band still uses th wooden music stands made for it 155 years ago.

> Read a program note of The Rising.

The Scattering of Light for the University of Queensland

November 2010. The climax of the Centenary celebrations of the University of Queen will be the first performance of Andrew Ford's new piano quartet, The Scattering of Lig Commissioned by the University of Queensland in honour of its first hundred years, the 15-minute quartet was written especially for the University's new ensemble in residenc Scattering of Light will be heard for the first time on December 10 at the University's S Dinner. Further (public) performances will follow in 2011.

> Read a program note of The Scattering of Light.

Oom, pa-pah! The Waltz Book on CD

September 2010. 's studio recording of The Waltz Book is finally available o (Tall Poppies TP209). The 60 one-minute waltzes were commissioned by Munro in 199 composed over the following four years. Some of the individual waltzes were premiere soon as they were composed, but Munro gave the complete premiere of the work in Ho March 2003.

Since then a dozen other pianists have taken up all or the work, playing it in Canada, Finland, Poland, the Un States, the United Kingdom and throughout Australia.

The new recording, a tour de force, was made in Sydn City Recital Hall, Angel Place, and Tall Poppies have r the CD, together with a bonus data disc containing a v interview with the composer and PDFs of 10 of the wa printing out and playing.

> Order this CD through the Australian Music Centre - of The Waltz Book, 10 easy waltzes from The Waltz B 10 more easy waltzes from The Waltz Book also avail > Order this CD through Buywell

Aimez-vous Brahms? Nine fantasies for piano trio

August 2010. Andrew Ford has always loved the music of Brahms, though he is aware that this is not necessarily a fashionable enthusiasm. His new piano trio, commissioned by Selby and Friends for TrioZ, is entitled Nine Fantasies about Brahms and is a sequence of speculative variations on themes from the German composer's D minor piano concerto.

The work receives its first performance on 4 September in Bowral, followed by five further performances in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide. See the news page for details.

Andrew Ford premieres The Musical Child

May 2010. Two new works will have their premieres on 20 May at the Australian

2 of 7 15/11/2011 4:15 PM Centenary composition hits the right note | Contact Magazine for UQ Al... http://www.uq.edu.au/graduatecontact/general/centenary-composition-hi...

Published: November 17th, 2010 in General | News

Views: 927 views. Comments: No Comment. Tags: centenary, music, summer-2010

A prominent Australian composer is fine-tuning a new piece he has created especially for UQ’s 100th birthday.

Andrew Ford will unveil The Scattering of Light at the final UQ Senate Dinner for the year on December 10 after months collaborating with staff and students.

The piece was commissioned in 2009 and is scored for piano quartet. Mr Ford, a Visiting Professor in the School of Music, UQ has commissioned composer Andrew Ford to create a special Centenary piece has won several major prizes including the Sydney Spring Festival Award and the Yorkshire Arts Composers Award.

The premiere will also mark the inaugural performance of the School of Music’s ensemble- in-residence. The group comprises professional performers and academics who mentor UQ music students. Ensemble members include cellist Patrick Murphy, violist Patricia Pollett and pianist Liam Viney.

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1 of 1 15/11/2011 4:12 PM Gov House - http://www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/cms/news/Default.aspx?NewsCode=942

10 Dec 2010 Friday, 10 December 2010

In the afternoon, Her Excellency, Ms Penelope Wensley AO, as Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker and as Patron of The Leukaemia Foundation (Queensland), attended the Annual Christmas Luncheon of Women in Finance Queensland (WIF), at the Summit Events Centre, Paddington, welcomed by WIF President, Ms Katherine Noonan, Committee Member and Event Co-ordinator, Ms Julianne De Groot and MC Ms Lexy Hamilton-Smith, where the Governor addressed WIF members and guests and witnessed the presentation of a cheque to the Leukaemia Foundation, as the WIF chosen charity for 2010, received by Leukaemia Board President, Ms Beverly Mirolo AO.

In the evening, Her Excellency, as Visitor to The University of Queensland (UQ), and Mr Stuart McCosker, attended the Annual UQ Senate Dinner at the Customs House, Brisbane, and final official UQ Centenary celebratory function, with 10 December marking the anniversary of the signing of the University of Queensland Act, welcomed by UQ Chancellor, Mr John Story and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Greenfield AO, and featuring the inaugural performance of a musical work, "The Scattering of Light", commissioned for the Centenary and composed by Dr Andrew Ford, performed by the Ensemble-in-Residence of the UQ School of Music.

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1 of 1 15/11/2011 4:13 PM Senate Dinner 2010 and Commissioned Music - UQ Centenary - The Un... http://www.uq.edu.au/centenary/senate-2010

UQ Centenary

Senate Dinner 2010 and Commissioned Music

The December 2009 Senate Meeting and Dinner held at Parliament House launched the Centenary celebrations. Exactly one year later, the 2010 Senate Dinner was held on 10 December in the Long Room at the Customs House.

It was the last corporate event of the Centenary, celebrated in the presence of the Governor, who is the official Visitor to the University.

At the dinner, the 15 minute piece of music commissioned by the University for the Centenary was performed for the first time by the School of Music’s Ensemble-in-Residence.

The title of the work is The scattering of light. Well-known Australian composer, Dr Andrew Ford, composed the work especially for the Ensemble-in-Residence. The process of the creation of the work was embedded in the teaching of composition in the School of Music during 2010. The work will become a core part of the Ensemble’s repertoire.

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