O fleeting soul, be strong.
Clothe yourself in the armour of light.
You are surrounded
With the embrace of Divine mysteries.
It is affirming when I hear Hildegard of Bingen, a Poetic Journey, my book published a few years back has an effect on the reader. Because my story is read mostly in USA with book groups and retreats, I love hearing of experience from a distance but when it is from home and from a friend that it has been inspiring for her through grief and lost and deep sadness into new creative musical writing, I feel very affirmed and give thanks to Hildegrad who is with us today in 2023 to lead us in this broken world.
Thank you professor Anne Boyd. I feel very honoured to be included in your creation and so happy you are being praised as one of the top women composers at this time. And congratulations being on the new CD of music Women of Note Vol 5. published this month March 2023 for International Womens’ Day
Short Programme Note
Into the Living Light
For me, composing is deep listening, seeking a presence beyond the Self, an activity akin to prayer. Grieving the recent loss of two family members, one of whom was my older sister Helen, who died on Christmas Day, I discovered the loss of a sibling leaves a strangely hollow place in one’s sense of being. My very special friend David Iverach was similarly affected with passing of his elder brother Don a few days later.
Seeking comfort and meaning, I found myself drawn to the vividly colourful imagery in the verse novel by Sydney writer Colleen Keating Hildegard of Bingen. One verse stood out in the Section she titled ‘Unearthing Heaven’:
O fleeting soul, be strong.
Clothe yourself in the armour of light.
You are surrounded
With the embrace of Divine mysteries.
I had been looking forward to composing a work for flute, viola and harp and in the context of the grieving process one of Hildegard’s antiphons O rubor sanguinis inspired by the martyrdom of St Ursula floated into my mind.
The image of Light so important to Hildegard’s sense of the Divine presence, reaches across many spiritual beliefs. I sometimes think of Australia as the land of living light.My sister, to whom the vibrant colours of Nature were soul food,believed her onward journey to be ‘to a place beyond the stars’; Don had no doubt that his resting place would by with his wife in the loving arms of Jesus. Light is central to and connects both their personal beliefs. This music, resting upon inspiration from Hildegard, reaching across the centuries, is a kind of prayer to accompany them both into eternity.
Vale Helen and Don, both so loved by your families and friends in this life, may you now rest in peace.
Anne E. Boyd
Sydney
20.02.23
Anne Boyd leading a walk in the Olive Pink Botanic Garden
and Anne and I at the launch of Olive Pink : her radical & idealistic life.
The evening before Anne Boyd’s Opera of Olive Pink set in the garden.
AUSTRALIAN DEBUSSY TRIO
The sumptuous combination of flute, viola and harp unites three soloists as they deliver a thoughtfully curated program. The newly established Australian Debussy Trio has crafted an illuminating blend of tranquil dreams, pastoral scenes and deep, introspective music for this unique instrumental combination. Imbued with flickers of light, Debussy’s second sonata is told in a fragrant language of ambiguity and fleeting suggestion. In a masterful display of timbral manipulation, Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu pays homage to Debussy with his own trio “And then I knew ’twas Wind” – a musical depiction of the human subconscious played out across interconnected musical episodes. Amongst the intriguing lineup of works, the programme features two Australian works, by Ross Edwards and Anne Boyd, written especially for the trio. This thoughtful programme will engross audiences from start to finish.
Granger, Wannan and Henderson impressed with some spectacular playing, both skilled technically and emotionally poignant.
EMILY GRANGER
Harp
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American-born, Australian-based Emily Granger effortlessly straddles the worlds of classical, popular, and art music – including glittering appearances with Yo-Yo Ma, Sarah Blasko, and Renée Fleming. Emily’s considerable talent finds her equally at home in intimate chamber recitals and thrilling performances of daring new works. Emily has performed recitals from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center and has appeared with the Chicago, Sydney, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. Her debut solo album, In Transit (AVIE Records), was Featured Album on ABC Classic and praised by BBC Music Magazine as “beautiful” and Limelight Magazine as “an impressive debut”.
JAMES WANNAN
Viola
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Violist James Wannan is a founder of the Australia Piano Quartet (APQ), Co-Artistic Director of the Ensemble in Residence at the University of Technology Sydney, a member of Southern Cross Soloists and an Artistic Associate of Sydney Chamber Opera. He teaches chamber music and viola at the Sydney Conservatorium’s Rising Star program and has been a guest teacher at the Australian National Academy of Music. He explores his passion for music from ancient to contemporary on a number of instruments. James enjoys exploring the possibilities of other instruments including violin, oud and viola d’amore. He has commissioned many new works, including a concerto by Jack Symonds that was premiered at the Bendigo Festival of Experimental Music.
JONATHAN HENDERSON
Flute
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Flutist Jonathan Henderson trained with Europe’s leading flute professors and has carved out a multifaceted performance career spanning from Australia to the Nordic countries. Jonathan was appointed Principal Flute of the Estonian National Opera Orchestra at age twenty-four, whilst still a student at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg. He has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Nordic Symphony Orchestra and MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductors such as Sir Mark Elder, Neeme Järvi, Paavo Järvi, Richard Tognetti, Klaus Mäkelä and Leif Segerstam.
