Tag Archives: nzso

View from Olympus

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Tonight was the launch of John Psathas’ new CD View from Olympus featuring three concerti recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra with Pedro Carneiro (Percussion), Michael Houstoun (Piano) and Joshua Redman (Saxophone). Of course I had to get a CD straight away. Included is a DVD called Creating View from Olympus. WOW WOW WOW. I’m very familiar with the View from Olympus concerto and reasonably familiar with the others, but listening to this recording is as if they are new works. The standard is incredible. It is the biggest recording project ever undertaken here in New Zealand, and is absolutely amazing.

View from Olympus Album Cover

If there is one CD you have to get, it is this one. It is put out by Rattle Records, also available through SOUNZ, and for any more info I VERY VERY VERY STRONGLY RECCOMMEND you to go to www.viewfromolympus.com.

Orchestral workshops

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I’ve been thinking about a few things to do with orchestral workshops. Firstly, some pieces make the orchestra do silly, cheesy or comical things which are musically totally unnessary. This is not saying things need to be “serious serious” … of course, but the ideas need to be set within a “real” musical context. I’ve heard a few things lately in pieces, but they just cheapen the music so much. Personally, I don’t feel as though its a joke to be getting the NZSO … for example … to do stupid things. I may be wrong … let me know.

Secondly, the lack of respect for the players has been driving me nuts. There have been numerous examples of composers during rehearsals talking condescendingly and with no respent towards the orchestra. This drives the players crazy. I was talking to a player in the Auckland Philharmonia, and they as well have had some examples of this lately.

I don’t know, I mean, these are professional orchestras, and it costs a HECK of a lot of money to have them operating. Also the players are often rehearsing for many hours on end. I guess I’m just wondering how necessary it is for the presence of these two elements. I just think that composers should fully respect any professional performers they are working with and they should treat orchestral workshops as a rare and an extreme privilege.

NZSO/TODD Readings

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Well well well. The latest NZSO/TODD young composer readings were great. They were on 7th and 8th September at Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington. The event opened with a dinner with the sponsers and also representatives from SOUNZ, Concert FM and the NZSO. This was fantastic to catch up with other composers who flew in from out of town for the workshops, but also of course to talk with people from the various organisations.

So … the workshops. There were some really outstanding pieces. Of course there is never enough time to properly rehearse the pieces, but most came out sounding really great. My piece was … good. It was a really hard piece, and I was really pleased how some bits were sounding, but disappointed about other parts. I’m happy with how the parts were written, it was more about having enough time to tighten things up with the orchestra. Anyway it should be a reasonable recording I get back from it so fingers crossed. It was commended at the end of the workshops so am pleased with that.

The workshop was brilliantly organised once again by Penny Miles. The new additions this year, sessions with instrumentalists and and the NZSO librarian were great. It was a great few days and I look forward until next year.

A wee update on my music

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I thought I should sum up what’s happening musically at the moment.

Well… I’ve got the NZSO workshops next week which should be great. My piece “Unspoken Monologue” is being workshopped and recorded which I am REALLY looking forward to. Last years piece of mine that was in it was ‘nice’, this years piece is fantastic. So I can’t wait to hear what they do with it.

Then after that “NO Ordinary Sun” is in the NZSM Composition Competition finals concert on 15th September. It WILL be great. Am having an absolute battle getting all the players for it … especially a tenor. But SLOWELY its coming together (though fingers are still crossed).

Finally “Insight” is being premiered by ‘The New Aesthetic’ – the NZSM Graduate Quartet. This piece is great, I was trying out a heap of new things, so I guess I will find out if they worked. lol It will be a great concert though. Details on any of these concerts can be found here.

At the moment I’m working on “Mei Spero” for nine instruments (including a heap of percussion) and have ripped to bits (not literally) “Through my eyes, I see” which was workshopped at the Nelson workshop and I’m gradually building it up again and it is AWESOME!! It’s going really well. Aside these things for my masters work, I’m revising my wedding suite for piano which is getting recorded soon. It’s a really awesome piece of music. I’ve been contemplating the role it actually plays in the service – part of the reason I’m revising it. I definitely haven’t got an outcome.