NEW RELEASE INFORMATION

THE IRIDESCENT FLUTE

NEIL FISENDEN, FLUTE DAVID WICKHAM, PIANO

CD RELEASE DATE: 2 June 2014

Following on from their two successful discs of Australian art songs (The poet sings and The red of a woman’s heart), Stone Records continues its exploration of Australian music with this double disc of flute music.

The CD features the music of Raymond Hanson (1913-1976) as well as that of five living composers: Geoffrey Allen, Phillip Wilcher, May Howlett, Ann Ghandar and Paul Paviour. The works are wonderful examples of Australian twentieth- century music, exhibiting both its shared heritage with the European tradition and its many individual and fascinating traits.

Australian flute virtuoso Neil Fisenden provides brilliant performances of all the pieces. He is accompanied by David Wickham, the pianist on the Stone Records song discs, who is rapidly becoming one of the leading experts in Australian music. He has written detailed notes for the disc, which serves as an excellent introduction to a largely unchartered area of .

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

“Congratulations on creating such a wonderful record of our Australian musical culture. Some wonderful repertoire that has been unjustly neglected.” Flute Society of NSW

CONTINUES OVERLEAF

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Stone at Stone Records Ltd Tel: 07595 534350 Email: [email protected] NEW RELEASE INFORMATION

BIOGRAPHIES Neil Fisenden was born in Perth and joined the West Australian Symphony Orchestra as Second Flute in 1974, before being appointed principal piccolo four years later. He was a founding member of the Perth Woodwind Quintet, performing often in concerts and recordings for the ABC, and has appeared regularly as soloist with the WASO. In 1979 he was made Principal Flute of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and in the same year awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship to study in . During his four-year stay in Adelaide, he frequently performed as a soloist with both the Adelaide Symphony and Adelaide Chamber Orchestras. He returned to Perth in 1983 as Principal Flute of the West Australian Symphony and continued to appear regularly as a soloist, notably as soloist for the 1983 tour to Singapore and as a Master Series soloist in the 1993 season. He is in great demand as a teacher, and is chief flute examiner and woodwind specialist advisor to the Australian Music Examinations Board. He is keenly involved in chamber music, featuring in performances in the past two years’ Perth International Arts Festivals. In 2004, he was elected as a Director of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

David Wickham is one of Australia’s pre-eminent accompanists, and a lecturer at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. He was a member of the music staff of the Australian Studio from 2003 to 2006, where he was music director for productions of Julius Caesar, Don Quichotte, , Così fan Tutte, Rodelinda, , Bastien and Bastienna and Trouble in Tahiti, as well as Elijah and three cabarets. He has broadcast recitals for ABC Classic FM, BBC Radio 3 and UK Classic FM. The Australian Opera Studio’s 2005 cabaret, of which David was music director, won an award for the best live broadcast in the ABC's Sunday Live series. David conducted The Mikado for West Australian Opera, and for WAAPA he has conducted Dialogues of the Carmelites, English Eccentrics, Candide and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. www.stonerecords.co.uk

ENDS

Artists: Neil Fisenden (flute) & David Wickham (piano) Disc: The iridescent flute Label: Stone Records Catalogue number/barcode: 5060192780437 Release date: 2 June 2014 Track Listing: 1. Wilcher: An idle voyce 1. Hanson: Sonata for flute and piano, Op.10 - 2. Allen: Sonata for flute and piano, Op.56 - I. I. Valse lento Allegro moderato 2. Hanson: Sonata for flute and piano, Op.10 - 3. Allen: Sonata for flute and piano, Op.56 - II. II. Grave Adagio solenne 3. Hanson: Sonata for flute and piano, Op.10 - 4. Allen: Sonata for flute and piano, Op.56 - III. III. Allegro giocoso Allegro scherzando 4. Allen: Watercolours - I. The small rain 5. Allen: Sonata for flute and piano, Op.56 - IV. 5. Allen: Watercolours - II. Squalls Moderato 6. Allen: Watercolours - III. The princess and 6. Howlett: Exhibits - I. Mobiles her frog go swimming 7. Howlett: Exhibits - II. Veil VII 7. Allen: Watercolours - IV. Dew points 8. Howlett: Exhibits - III. Electric mouse 8. Allen: Watercolours - V. Fountains 9. Howlett: Exhibits - IV. Streeton’s noon 9. Allen: Watercolours - VI. Ondine crying 10. Ghandar: Iridescences - I. Glass birds 10. Allen: Watercolours - VII. Floods in winter 11. Ghandar: Iridescences - II. 11. Allen: Watercolours - VIII. Well wishing Transparent crystal 12. Allen: Watercolours - IX. All the white horses 12. Ghandar: Iridescences - III. Glass flowers 13. Wilcher: Blue glaze - I. Andante espressivo 13. Ghandar: Iridescences - IV. Blue vase 14. Wilcher: Blue glaze - II. Andante 14. Ghandar: Iridescences - V. Blue fish 15. Wilcher: Blue glaze - III. Brio 15. Paviour: Elstow suite - I. Passacaglia 16. Wilcher: Blue glaze - IV. Allegro 16. Paviour: Elstow suite - II. Meander 17. Wilcher: Blue glaze - V. Moderato 17. Paviour: Elstow suite - III. Scatter-brain All tracks are première recordings

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark Stone at Stone Records Ltd Tel: 07595 534350 Email: [email protected]