Teaching works
Central Landscapes
5 pieces for piano
About the work
I wrote this set of pieces, for pianists of intermediate ability, during 2009 while I was living in Alexandra in Central Otago as artist-in-residence for the Henderson Arts Trust.
Barbara Henderson, who lived in the Plischke-designed house before it became an artist’s residence, would visit her studio in the garden most weeks. So I wrote these pieces for her birthday, and they were played by my sister Joyce at Central Stories in Alexandra at Barbara’s birthday celebration.
There are 5 movements, which can be played separately or in this order:
- Hoar frost with fire siren
- Taking a line for a walk
- Landscape with quail
- Outlines through rising mist, and
- River talk.
Central Landscapes is dedicated to Barbara Henderson.
I subsequently arranged the pieces for the Central Regional Otago Orchestra.
Central Landscapes for chamber orchestra
Scores and recordings
All 5 pieces were published by the Sunrise Music Trust in Take Flight — music from New Zealand for intermediate pianists. Gillian Bibby recorded the pieces for a CD that accompanies the book.
Karakia
3 pieces for piano
These short pieces are suitable for intermediate performers and were written while I was a student at the University of Sydney.
Score
Contact me if you are interested in seeing the score.
Lullaby for Matthew
For piano
I wrote this lullaby to celebrate the birth of my nephew, Matthew, and it is dedicated to my sister Joyce, and Matthew. It was premiered by pianist, David Guerin in Germany in 1982.
About the work
This work for solo piano has been described by Fred Blanks of the Sydney Morning Herald as ‘a haunting gem for a modern baby.’
In Music in New Zealand Gillian Bibby wrote, ‘In a simple arch structure of 8-bar phrases, [Lullaby for Matthew] progresses in variations from naive simplicity to what could almost amount to a nightmare in the centre, then back to slumbering innocence once again.’
Lullaby for Matthew is suitable for intermediate pianists, about Grade 5.
Scores and recordings
Lullaby for Matthew was published by SOUNZ in First XV, an album of piano works for intermediate pianists. This is now out of print.
You can buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
The work was recorded by Dan Poynton in 1997 on an award-winning CD.
SOUNZ released a promotional recording in 1996, and Burnside High School included it in a CD of works suitable for Royal Schools piano exams.
New Zealand colours: alternative piano works for Royal Schools music exams — CD
This work has also been the subject of some education resources.
Song without words for Kai
For piano
About the work
This short piece was written to celebrate the birth of Kai, the son of Ryoko Tabuchi and Cameron Mewburn.
Score
Buy or borrow the score from SOUNZ.
Sunrise Pieces
3 pieces for beginning pianists
These short pieces were written specifically for Sunrise, an album of works for young pianists. They were first performed by Mary Barber on 30 March 2008.
About the music
The 3 pieces are called:
- What’s the taniwha’s story
- Sad song on a rainy day, and
- Pukeko.
They can be played separately or as a group.
Score and recording
All 3 pieces were published in 2008 by the Sunrise Music Trust in Sunrise — music from New Zealand for young pianists. Mary Barber recorded the pieces for a CD that accompanies the book.
Voices of Tane
7 short pieces for piano
About the work
Voices of Tane was written for my godson, Kit Boyes. It was the first piece I wrote on my return to New Zealand after 9 years in Europe and was written with intermediate performers in mind.
Tane is the Māori god of forests, and the trees, plants, birds and other creatures who live there.
There is little to say about the pieces themselves except that the last repeats the first, the third has to do with birdsong, the fifth with wind, and the sixth consists of 9 ideas that the pianist plays in whatever sequence she or he wishes.
Ken Young recorded a short talk about this work for RNZ Concert.
Scores and recordings
Voices of Tane was published by Price Milburn Music in 1977.
RNZ Concert recorded Voices of Tane in 1986.