War Letters

Recorded on 14 and 15 November 2015 at the Performance Space, Western Sydney University. 
Engineered  and mastered by Michael Macken.
Produced by Diana Blom and Jenny Duck-Chong
Cover design: Liz Duck-Chong

CD available for sale by Halcyon here
CD also available through Wirrpang

Listen to samples from the full CD at Wirrpang here

Read the full notes and texts from the concert program here

Released by Wirripang on 9 December 2016

The project of concerts and CD recording was made possible through the ANZAC Centenary Local Grants Program.

For review click here

War Letters, released by Wirripang (Wirr 074), features four newly commissioned works by four generations of Australian composers - Larry Sitksy, Diana Blom, Elliott Gyger and Nicole Murphy.  Drawing their texts from the writings of ordinary ANZACs serving in WWI, the thoughts, reflections and feelings expressed in these personal letters are as fresh today as they were 100 years ago.

The War Letters project was instigated by composer Diana Blom, who, inspired by the writings of her own great uncle Frank Robinson, wanted to tell personal stories of every day men and women in wartime.

TRACK LIST

  • Elliott Gyger Un poilu australien (2015)

  • Nicole Murphy Dearest Mother ...' (2015)

  • Larry Sitsky Letter from the Trenches (2015)

  • Diana Blom Triptych (war letters) (2015)

ARTISTS
Alison Morgan soprano, Jenny Duck-Chong mezzo-soprano, Clive Birch bass, James Wannan viola, Jo Allan piano and Kaylie Dunstan percussion with Geoffrey Gartner conductor (Gyger)

Waves III

Recorded at Trackdown Scoring Stage, Sydney Sept 2013 and July 2014
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Daniel Brown
Produced by Halcyon
Cover photo: Michael Chetham
Cover graphic: Elizabeth Duck-Chong

Available as a CD from Halcyon here.
Available as an mp3 download from Halcyon here.
Also available as mp3 from cdbaby

Click here to download the full texts of the works.
Click here to download the notes and bios.

Released by Halcyon on 29 November 2016

For audio and video links click here

The third of Halcyon’s EP releases, Waves III features two new song cycles by Australian composers Raffaele Marcellino and Nigel Butterley. 

Commissioned by Halcyon, both works focus on a figure from Greek mythology and feature texts by contemporary Australian poets. A Strange Kind of Paradise (2010), for four female voices and harp, by Raffaele Marcellino centres on abandoned Ariadne, with poems by Jordie Albiston. Scored for mezzo-soprano, soprano, flute, clarinet, oboe, violin, viola, cello and guitar, Nigel Butterley’s Orphei Mysteria (2008), sets poems by Patricia Excell which explore elements of the Orpheus myth. 

TRACK LIST

  • Nigel Butterley Orphei Mysteria (2008)

  • Raffaele Marcellino A Strange Kind of Paradise (2013)

ARTISTS
BUTTERLEY:  Matthew Wood conductor, Jenny Duck-Chong mezzo soprano, Alison Morgan soprano, Sally Walker flutes, Peter Smith clarinets, Alexandre Oguey oboe/cor anglais, Giuseppe Zangari guitar, Victoria Jacono-Gilmovich violin, James Wannan viola, Geoffrey Gartner cello
MARCELLINO: Alison Morgan soprano  Belinda Montgomery soprano  Jenny Duck-Chong mezzo-soprano  Jo Burton  mezzo-soprano  Genevieve Lang harp