New Commission - Songs for Birds

Over the Summer I have been putting the finishing touches to an exciting new commission for the City of Hobson's Bay in Melbourne.

Songs for Birds is a suite of three short pieces setting words by one of Australia's leading poets, Barry Hill. The chosen birds - Godwits, Magpie and Ibis - are all seen in the Hobsons's Bay area, close to where I live in the western suburbs of Melbourne and the area where Barry grew up.

It has been a real pleasure to work on a piece with a strong sense of place. Excerpts were presented last week at the Australian Choral Conductors Summer School and were received with great enthusiasm, especially for Ibis!

The work is scored for children's and community choirs and piano and will be performed by local performers later in 2018.