I have the pleasure of announcing that I’m currently working on a new work for the Elanée Ensemble. The premiere is scheduled for premiere in Hobart (Tasmania) in the middle of 2012 (more details to follow in a subsequent post).

About the Elanée Ensemble
Stuart Thomson and Jo St.Leon formed the Elanée Ensemble to explore the rich sonorities of the double bass/viola duo. Their inaugural concert opened the Collegiate Chamber Music Series in May 2009.

Repertoire for this unlikely but effective combination of double bass and viola is currently somewhat limited. There is a core of little known repertoire from the early Classical era, and then little original work until relatively recent times, although there is a small body of arranged material. Elanée regards redressing this balance as an important part of their mission.

Find out more about the Elanée Ensemble on their website www.elaneeensemble.com.

Photo © Giles Hugo 2012

Work is underway on Matthew Dewey’s second full album featuring the talents of one of Australia’s leading young operatic talents, baritone Michael Lampard together with the brilliant Karen Smithies (Piano) and Liz Gormley (Viola).

Photo © Giles Hugo 2012

The music was recorded on the 13th and 14th of February 2012 at the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra studios in Hobart and is slated for release in early-mid 2012.

Photo © Giles Hugo 2012

Check out this video of a project I worked on in 2011 called “Sound 2 Light”. The music accompanying the video is one of mine, it’s called “Liminal I-IV” and was written as part of a collaboration with graphic artist Tonya Meyrick.

Sound 2 Light 2011 from 313RGB on Vimeo.

Sound 2 Light is a dynamic, chaotic & social project that encourages exciting new partnerships between artists working in different disciplines. In late August 2011 the second in the successful series was held at the Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart, Tasmania. Sound 2 Light was an exploration in collaboration and process through the combination of sonic and temporal practice.

Artist in the event included:
King of the Morning & 313RGB

Nick Smithies & Adam Walker

PilotError & Joseph Barrows

Oceans & Matt Warren

Drive West Today & Chris Downes

Sam Gregory & Zeal

Matthew Dewey & Tonya Meyrick

Presented by Salamanca Arts Centre & 313RGB.

Curated by Jason James & Christopher Norman.
Part of Arts Tasmania & CMST’s Amplified Music Festival

313RGB: http://www.313rgb.com
Salamanca Arts Centre: http://www.salarts.org.au

Follow 313RGB on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/313rgb
Sound 2 Light Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/soundtolight

Music by Matthew Dewey

SoundCloud is the world’s leading social sound platform. SoundCloud lets people easily share music privately with their friends or publicly to blogs, sites and social networks. It takes just a click to share sounds to Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and Foursquare. SoundCloud can be accessed anywhere using the official iPhone and Android apps, as well as hundreds of creation and sharing apps built on the SoundCloud platform.

Please feel free to share my tracks around and send me yours!

“A substantial piece…. (the orchestra) relished the rich orchestration”

THE MERCURY
“Special piece brings out best in orchestra”
By PETER DONNELLY
The Derwent Symphony Orchestra
Damien Holloway, conductor
Michael Lampard, baritone
Hobart Town Hall, September 2011

MATTHEW Dewey composed his Derwent Overture for this concert.

Anything but a frothy opener, it is a substantial piece, in content if not in length. The musical language is quite accessible, with overtones of Wagner and Sibelius, while retaining an individual character.

The work falls into several contrasting episodes, building towards a dramatic and optimistic climax. The DSO responded with some fine playing, relishing the rich orchestration, especially the writing for lower brass and strings.

Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Op 37 is rarely performed by a baritone, but Michael Lampard made a strong case with his excellent singing here. The tempi in the first two songs were a bit too slow, perhaps to accommodate the orchestra.

However, the middle song, Sabbath Morning at Sea, gained in power as performed by Lampard’s strong and sympathetic voice.
The orchestra, excellently directed by Damien Holloway, was in fine fettle and brought out much colourful detail in Elgar’s orchestration.

After interval, there was much to enjoy in the Sibelius Symphony No. 1 in E minor, Op 39 especially the woodwinds.

Order your copy of Echoes now! CD ships internationally.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR COPY NOW FROM THE MATTHEWDEWEY.COM WEBSITE

The Album is also available on iTunes (CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ON ITUNES), Amazon mp3 (CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON) and CD Baby (CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE ON CD BABY).

Experience the power of Tasmanian orchestral music. The Russian Philharmonic conducted by Alexey Osetrov perform two orchestral works by Matthew Dewey: The dramatic Orchestral Suite No.1, a three movement work for full orchestra that evokes images of the Tasmanian landscape; and Dewey’s Symphony No.1 (Port Arthur, 1996) for orchestral strings, which was written in response to the Port Arthur massacre of 1996, inspired by Tom Holloway’s profoundly moving play “Beyond the Neck”.

Friday 11 November at 8pm
Saturday 12 November at 2pm & 8pm

SYNOPSIS
While driving, a young man kills a dog. This accidental event steers him unexpectedly to the house, now abandoned, where he grew up. As he moves from room to room, he releases memories and ghosts of the lives lived within its walls and exposes a long held family secret.

A secret which stopped time – leaving a woman trapped by memory; a son groping for answers; a husband with his lover; and a revelation that blasts their world with light.

ABOUT
This moving drama is written by the astounding young Tasmanian-based Finegan Kruckemeyer who in 2011 will have 14 productions playing on five continents.

Complemented by a live performance of Matthew Dewey’s original musical score, and elegantly staged by eminent Tasmanian director/designer Robert Jarman, this graceful and profound play will resonate with you long after you leave the theatre.

CAST

Director & Designer: Robert Jarman
Producer: Annette Downs
Composer: Matthew Dewey
Lighting Designer: Danny Pettingill
Design consultant: Constantine Koukias
Costumier: Helen Edwards
Stage Manager: Jen Cramer
Featuring: A cast of five including jane Longhurst and Mel King

MORE INFORMATION
For more information on the production and how to purchase tickets, please visit www.theatreroyal.com.au.

September will see the first performance of my new overture for orchestra (currently untitled) which has been commissioned by the Derwent Symphony Orchestra. The performance will take place on Sunday the 11th of September 2011, 2.30pm at Hobart Town Hall (Tasmania). The conductor is Damien Holloway and the programme will also features Elgar’s Sea Pictures (with guest soloist Michael Lampard) and Sibelius’ Symphony No.1.

“…a hauntingly beautiful and evocative setting of Lala Fisher’s poem…”

Spirited quartet triumphs
By CAROLYN PHILPOTT.
Mercury Newspaper. May 16, 2011

REVIEW
22SQ Saxophone Quartet
Michael Lampard, Baritone
Baha’i Centre of Learning, Hobart

THE architecturally stunning, dome-shaped auditorium at the Baha’i Centre of Learning was the ideal setting for this concert by dynamic saxophone quartet 22SQ, comprising young local musicians Benjamin Price (soprano saxophone), Georgina Smith (alto saxophone), Mitchell Ellis (tenor saxophone) and Nicholas Nugent (baritone saxophone).

The program incorporated a variety of old and new works, some written specifically for saxophone quartet, others adapted from works initially composed for different combinations of instruments. Works by Dutch composers featured prominently and were given fine treatment by the ensemble, especially the challenging contrapuntal piece Mein Junges Leben, hat ein End (My Young Life has an End) by the early Baroque composer Jan Pieterszoon-Sweelinck and the more recently-composed Punctus Einz of Ruud van Eeten, a highly energetic reinterpretation of J.S. Bach’s Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue).

Two works in particular stood out as the focal points of the concert: the version of Philip Glass’s Concerto for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra for quartet alone, and Matthew Dewey’s The Moon Flower for baritone and saxophone quartet, given its world premiere at this concert.

The ensemble performed the Glass concerto with great precision and unity and the driving rhythms of the second and fourth movements came across very effectively. Baritone Michael Lampard gave a strong and well-articulated performance in The Moon Flower, a hauntingly beautiful and evocative setting of Lala Fisher’s poem of the same name.

Pre-order your copy of Echoes now! Only AU$20 (plus postage – ships internationally).

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER ALBUM NOW

Experience the power of Tasmanian orchestral music!

The Russian Philharmonic conducted by Alexey Osetrov perform two orchestral works by Matthew Dewey: The dramatic Orchestral Suite No.1, a three movement work for full orchestra that evokes images of the Tasmanian landscape; and Dewey’s Symphony No.1 (Port Arthur, 1996) for orchestral strings, which was written in response to the Port Arthur massacre of 1996, inspired by Tom Holloway’s profoundly moving play “Beyond the Neck”.

CD will ship in early May.