tag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:/blogs/news?p=5News2021-03-18T11:33:04+00:00Todd McNealfalsetag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/65733762021-02-01T15:00:00+00:002021-03-14T15:22:26+00:00Recommended Composer for VSMF Festival<p>My works are now recommended repertoire for the second year running for choirs entering the <a contents="Victorian School Music Festival 2021" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://vsmf.com.au/choir/" target="_blank">Victorian School Music Festival 2021</a>.</p>
<p><em>Whenever the Wind is High</em>, <em>The Woodlark</em> and <em>Songs of the Sea & Sky</em> are all recommended in either the Primary or Junior Secondary Sections and my works in general are suggested for the Open Secondary Section, alongside Paul Jarman, Annie Kwok and others.</p>Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/65733662019-08-31T00:00:00+01:002021-03-18T11:33:04+00:00World Premiere of Manley Hopkins Settings by Xavier College, Kew - August 2019<p>Xavier College, Kew, have given the world premiere performance of <em>The World is Charged with the Grandeur of God - Four Choral Works on Poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins</em>. The set was premiered in Hamer Hall, Melbourne, conducted by Head of Choral, Nick Cowall.</p>
<p>It was an honour to be commissioned to compose a multi-movement choral work for the Xavier College Choirs and was a real delight to wrestle with the great poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, known for its unusual sprung rhythms, striking imagery and finely-wrought wordplay. There was also some great variety built into the work from the outset, with varied settings for the different choirs and in different instrumental combinations.</p>
<p>The pieces were as follows, in performance order: <em>Let me be to Thee as the Circling Bird</em> (TTBB with Tenor Solo) for the A Capella Chamber Choir; <em>The Woodlark</em> (SA, Piano & Percussion) for the combined Kostka and Burke Hall Choirs; <em>Love Preparing to Fly</em> (TBB, Piano & 'Cello) for the Senior Singers and <em>God's Grandeur</em> (SATB, Piano, 'Cello & Percussion) for the Xavier Combined Choirs.</p>
<p>The works formed the finale of <em>Xavier in Concert</em> and were met with great acclaim.</p>
<p>Many thanks to Nick Cowall, Head of Choral, who conducted with great authority and sensitivity, bringing excellent performances from the choirs who were highly responsive to the texts and the music. Thanks also to all the performers and to Director of Music Greg Carey.</p>
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<p> </p>Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653442019-02-09T00:00:00+00:002021-02-04T10:44:42+00:00New Manley Hopkins Commission for Xavier College
<p>Over the Australian summer I've been finishing a new commission for Xavier College, setting four poems by the great Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. It has been a delight to be setting some of the finest English poetry. The works are for four of the Xavier College Choirs, and includes a finale setting of <em>God's Grandeur</em> for combined choirs, cello and percussion.</p>
<p>The works are due to be premiered at Hamer Hall in August 2019.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653422019-01-25T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00Gondwana Novus give Sydney Premiere of How to Get There
<p>Gondwana Novus have given the Sydney premiere of <em>How to Get There</em>, my setting of a wonderful, whimsical poem by Michael Leunig. The young choir performed the work beautifully under the direction of Kate Albury, as part of the Festival of Summer Voices, the Gala concert of the National Choral School. Congratulations to all!</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653432018-11-30T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00Roderick Williams Performs Everyone Sang as part of War Tribute
<p>Award-winning British baritone, Roderick Williams, has been performing my setting of Siegfried Sassoon's classic poem <em>Everyone Sang</em> as part of a programme commemorating the Armistice. The concerts, accompanied by Susie Allan, included a recent performance at the Hampstead Arts Festival. Barry Millington writes in the London Evening Standard:</p>
<p>"The English late Romantics and their settings of the War Poets may have formed the nucleus of his sequence but there were fine examples too of songs by more recent composers including the Australian Todd McNeal..."</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653412018-05-26T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00Godwits Premiere at World Migratory Bird Day
<p>Last Saturday I had the pleasure of conducting the Spotswood Primary School Choir and the Newport Community Choir in the premiere performance of <em>Godwits </em>at the World Migratory Bird Day celebrations at the Newport Hub.</p>
<p>The piece sets text from <em>The Yellow Sea</em> by leading Australian poet Barry Hill, and forms part of a short suite -<em>Songs</em> <em>for Birds</em> - commissioned for the City of Hobsons Bay in Melbourne's West. The full suite will be performed later in the year at the Newport Substation.</p>
<p>Thanks and congratulations to the choirs, who performed the piece three times to great acclaim!</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653402018-05-01T01:00:00+01:002021-01-29T15:05:34+00:00Whenever the Wind Taken Up by Choirs Worldwide
<p>There has been huge interest in <em>Whenever the Wind is High</em> over recent months, following the Gondwana performance at Festival of Summer Voices. Orders for scores have come in from school and youth choirs across Australia and the UK.</p>
<p>The Gondwana performance is now available on youtube:</p>
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Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653342018-01-20T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00Junior Gondwana Give Sydney Premiere of Whenever the Wind!
<p>Junior Gondwana have given a brilliant Sydney premiere of <em>Whenever the Wind is High</em>, my setting of Robert Louis Stevenson's poem Windy Nights. They performed the work in the Grand Finale of the Gondwana Choirs <em>Festival of Summer Voices</em> at the Clancy Auditorium, University of New South Wales.</p>
<p>The choir gave an electrifying performance directed by Brisbane-based choral conductor, Kate Albury. ABC Classic FM recorded the concert for broadcast.</p>
<p>Many thanks and congratulations to Kate and Junior Gondwana!</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653392018-01-16T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00New Commission - Songs for Birds
<p>Over the Summer I have been putting the finishing touches to an exciting new commission for the City of Hobson's Bay in Melbourne.</p>
<p><em>Songs for Birds</em> 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.</p>
<p>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!</p>
<p>The work is scored for children's and community choirs and piano and will be performed by local performers later in 2018. </p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653352017-10-20T01:00:00+01:002021-02-11T11:30:52+00:00Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School Premiere New Arrangement of Let it Go, Brother
<p>The Junior School Choir of Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School have given the first performance of a new arrangement of <em>Let it Go, Brother</em>. The song is a folk-gospel ballad sung by British singer Emma Lewendon on my album, All My Good Intentions.</p>
<p>The choral arrangement, for two-part upper voices and piano, was made at the special request of Head of Junior School Music, Christopher Cox.</p>
<p>Congratulations to Christopher and the girls!</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653372017-07-30T01:00:00+01:002021-02-11T11:28:30+00:00Yallourn Madrigal Singers Premiere New Men's Version of Whenever the Wind is High!
<p>The Yallourn Madrigal Singers have given the premiere of a new version of <em>Whenever the Wind is High</em>, adapted for men's voices from the original version.</p>
<p>The work was conducted by Bronwyn Morrissey, accompanied by Sophy Morley, and very well-received by the audience.</p>
<p>Thanks and congratulations to all.<br style="color: #0000ff; font-family: monospace;"></p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653382017-07-10T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00Trinity College Boys Perform at ChoralFest
<p>The boys of Trinity College, Perth have given the Brisbane premiere of <em>Whenever the Wind is High</em> at the National Choral Festival, conducted by Robert Braham.</p>
<p>The piece was a hit with both the boys and the audience.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653362016-05-25T01:00:00+01:002021-01-29T15:03:39+00:00Winter Park High Men's Chorale give encore performance of Ahab!
<p>The Men's Chorale of Winter Park High School, Florida, have given an encore performance of <em>The Redemption of Captain Ahab</em>. The boys loved the work so much they repeated it at their Spring Concert having performed it just the previous fall.</p>
<p>Director of Choral Activities, Matthew Swope, commented: "It was wonderful seeing these young men come together and being so driven by a piece of repertoire. i cannot thank you enough for that!" </p>
<p>WPHS has an outstanding Choral Department recognised nationally for its tradition of excellence.</p>
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Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653322016-04-06T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00Washington Men's Camerata to Perform Captain Ahab!
<p>The Washington Men's Camerata will perform <em>The Redemption of Captain Ahab</em> in their forthcoming concert, <em>Music from Down Under</em>. The award-winning men's choir will perform my work alongside other well-known composers from Australia and New Zealand including Percy Grainger, Stephen Leek and Sandra Milliken in a June concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.camerata.com/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">More info about the Washington Men's Camerata...</a></p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653302016-02-05T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00National Boys Choir to give premiere performance of Stevenson setting
<p>The National Boys Choir of Australia will give the world premiere performance of one of my new pieces, <em>Whenever the Wind is High</em>, later this year. The work sets the famous Robert Louis Stevenson poem, <em>Windy Nights</em>, for upper voices and piano, and will be performed as part of the choir's mid-year concert at Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University in July 2016. The program will also include my set of three pieces from 2010, <em>Songs of the Sea and Sky</em>.</p>
<p>NBCA are one of Australia's finest treble choirs and over the last few years have given outstanding premiere performances of my works<em> Songs of the Sea and Sky</em> and <em>Three Poems of Walter De La Mare</em>. Both these sets were included on their CD release <em>Songs of Earth, Sea and Sky</em> and feature regularly on ABC Classic FM.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653332015-12-23T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00New Commission for Baritone and Piano
<p>Over the last few months I've had the privilege of working on a new commission setting an outstanding poem by Australian writer and poet Mark Svendsen, entitled <em>Amongst Trees</em>.</p>
<p>The work, commissioned by the poet in memory of David Ian Kerr, is an 8-minute art song for baritone and piano. It explores moving, lyrical imagery related to the strangler fig, which grows on host trees in tropical forests and is common in Queensland. The photo below will give a better idea than I can convey!</p>
<p>The score will be available shortly.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/425342/7b1087d0002848c267fd0f63a714bae9079ae00c/original/be2f7c31c7852e4adc9e4da99ca07160-resized.jpg/!!/b%3AW10%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="be2f7c31c7852e4adc9e4da99ca07160.jpg_resized" /></p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653312015-11-01T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00US Premiere of The Redemption of Captain Ahab!
<p><em>The Redemption of Captain Ahab </em>has received its premiere performance in the USA by the Black Bear Men's Chorus at the University of Maine, directed by Daniel Williams. This was closely followed by The Men's Chorale of Winter Park High School, Florida, directed by Matthew Swope, where it was a huge hit with both singers and audience!</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653292015-09-19T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:11+00:00New Commission to set Michael Leunig Poem
<p>Following the success of <em>Gifts</em>, I have received a commission to compose a new work for Bel Canto from Firbank Grammar School. The piece will be a setting of the Michael Leunig poem, <em>How to Get There.</em></p>
<p>The poem was chosen in consultation with the choir and has great simplicity and sense of movement as well as reflecting the wide open spaces of the Australian outback. Many thanks to Michael Leunig for granting permission to set his wonderful work!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.leunig.com.au/works/poems" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Link to <em>How to Get There</em> on Michael Leunig's website.</a></p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653282015-08-18T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Melbourne Premieres of Carry Us Home
<p><em>Carry Us Home</em> has been very well-received at two recent concerts in Melbourne, performed by the Firbank Chorale. They gave excellent performances at the Firbank Grammar School Choral Concert at St Andrew's Church , Brighton and then at Eisteddfod on the Bay, where they carried off second place. Many thanks to adjudicator Mark Puddy, highly regarded Australian composer and choral educator. He wrote in his comments that it was a "Great Piece!" and told the assembled choirs to "go and find more of Todd McNeal's marvellous music!". </p>
<p><em>Carry Us Home</em> is a lyrical piece for upper voices on a World War One theme, with a beautifully-crafted text by Queensland poet Mark Svendsen. For a score sample click the link below:</p>
<p><a href="/files/878427/carry-us-home-extract.pdf" data-imported="1">Carry Us Home</a> (SA & Pno)</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653272015-06-04T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Acclaimed Varsity Ensemble to perform Male Voice version of Gifts
<p>Randy Stenson, internationally recognised as an authority on male choral education, has asked me to arrange my setting of the Oodgeroo Noonuccal poem <em>Gifts</em> for male voices. He heard the recent performance at Choralfest by Bel Canto, of Firbank Grammar School, and was very keen to perform the work with his acclaimed male voice group, St Mary's Varsity Ensemble.</p>
<p>They will be performing the work in 2016.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653262015-04-10T01:00:00+01:002021-01-29T15:07:54+00:00Gifts at Choralfest
<p>Bel Canto, the senior choir from Firbank Grammar School, have given a stirring performance of <em>Gifts</em> at Choralfest 2015 in Melbourne.</p>
<p>The festival, organised by the Australian National Choral Association, brought together many of the finest choirs and choral directors from across Australia together with distinguished international visitors, for four days of concerts and workshops.</p>
<p>Director Philippa Jones talked briefly about what an important piece <em>Gifts</em> has been for the choir since they gave the world premiere last year and then toured to Europe, taking first place in the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna.</p>
<p>Bel Canto gave another excellent performance and the piece was very warmly received.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653252014-07-14T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Birralee Blokes Perform Law of the Tongue at Pemulwuy Male Voice Festival
<p>ABC Choir of the Year, the Birralee Blokes, have performed two choruses from <em>The Law of the Tongue </em>at a showcase concert in the Centenary Hall, Brisbane Grammar School, as part of the Pemulwuy Male Voice Festival 2014.</p>
<p>This outstanding young men's choir were conducted by artistic director Paul Holley and accompanied by Justine Favell.</p>
<p>The Law of the Tongue, with Libretto by award-winning author James Roy, is a dramatic cantata based on the Killer Whales of Eden.</p>
<p>
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Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653242014-07-07T01:00:00+01:002021-01-29T15:05:55+00:00Bel Canto Win 1st Place with Gifts - Judges Comment on 'Outstanding Piece'
<p>Bel Canto, from Firbank Grammar School, have been awarded 1st Place with Outstanding Success in the Category Treble Choir for their performance of <em>Gifts </em>at Austria's premiere global youth music festival - Summa Cum Laude. The work, which sets the poem by Oodgeroo Noonuccal was specially commissioned for the choir to perform during their current European Tour.</p>
<p>The representative from the jury commented on how much he enjoyed the work and written comments included that it was an "outstanding piece".</p>
<p>The choir have now been asked to perform <em>Gifts</em> at the Gala Winners' Concert in the Great Hall of the Wiener Konzerthaus on July 8th.</p>
<p>More details can be found here:</p>
<p>http://www.firbank.vic.edu.au/music-at-firbank/overseas-tours</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653232014-06-20T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Bel Canto give World Premiere of Gifts
<p>Last night Bel Canto, the senior choir at Firbank Grammar School, gave the world premiere of <em>Gifts</em> at St Andrews Church, Brighton.</p>
<p>The piece, for SSAA and piano, was specially commissioned for the choir to present in their forthcoming European Tour, including performances at the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna. It is a setting of the poem <em>Gifts</em> by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, which recounts a young man's increasingly elaborate attempts to woo his sweetheart.</p>
<p>The choir gave an excellent performance under the superb direction of Philippa Jones, with Jerome Walles on piano. They really captured the drama of the poem and the nuances of the score and are to be most warmly congratulated.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653222013-12-01T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Carry Us Home given premiere performance in Sydney
<p>The choir of Marist Sisters' College Woolwich has given the premiere performance of my new choral piece, <em>Carry Us Home</em>, at their 2013 Showcase Concert.</p>
<p><em>Carry Us Home </em>is a lyrical piece for two-part upper voices and piano with words by Queensland poet Mark Svendsen. It imagines a brief time of innocence in the early years of World War One, with young soldiers and their sweethearts walking together in the evening before the young men are sent to the front.</p>
<p>The choir gave a strong and sensitive performance under the expert direction of Ms Emilie Lemasson, accompanied by Ms Joyce Sun.</p>
<p>An extract of the score to <em>Carry Us Home</em> is available for download in the SCORES section and full copies can be purchased through BUY. Free perusal scores are available for choral directors.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653212013-11-20T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Birralee Blokes give Premiere Performance of Choruses from New Cantata
<p>ABC Choir of the Year, Birralee Blokes, performed a selection of choruses from my recently completed cantata,<em> The Law of the Tongue</em>, at the Voices of Birralee end of year concert at Brisbane Town Hall last Saturday.</p>
<p>The young men's choir performed three TBB choruses - <em>Man the Boats</em>, <em>Tow in Right Away</em> and <em>Empty Sea, Empty Sky </em>- under the direction of Paul Holley.</p>
<p><em>The Law of the Tongue</em> is a dramatic cantata in two acts with libretto by award-winning Australian author James Roy. </p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653202013-02-24T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00The Law of the Tongue - A New Cantata
<p>I've recently completed a new cantata, <em>The Law of the Tongue</em>, with libretto by award-winning author James Roy.</p>
<p>The work is based on the remarkable relationship between shore-based whalers and killer whales on the far south coast of New South Wales throughout the 1800s and early 1900s. It's a story I found out about through a visit to the Eden Killer Whale Museum a few years ago and it struck me as both completely captivating and ideally-suited for a dramatic choral retelling.</p>
<p><em>The Law of the Tongue</em> is a fifty minute work in two acts, for SSATBB choir and piano with soprano, tenor and baritone soloists. Free perusal scores are available for all interested choral directors.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/425342/037ed781838af394a1380085f192683238367884/original/eden-45.jpeg/!!/b%3AW10%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Eden-45.jpeg" /></p>
<p>The ocean near Eden, NSW, setting for <em>The Law of the Tongue</em>. image (c) James Roy 2012</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653192012-12-19T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00New CD Release
<p>National Boys Choir of Australia have released a new CD featuring two sets of my choral works - <em>Songs of the Sea & Sky</em> and <em>Three Poems of Walter De La Mare</em> - together with music by Australian composer Calvin Bowman.</p>
<p>The CD, <em>Songs of Earth, Sea & Sky, </em>can be ordered directly from NBCA on (+61) 03 9872 4480, or email office@nationalboyschoir.com.au.</p>
<p><a href="http://nationalboyschoir.com.au/events/recordings/" target="_blank" data-imported="1">Follow this link for more details:</a></p>
<p><a href="http://nationalboyschoir.com.au/events/recordings/" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/425342/ad4361884457342e42701d64b47ea44b0283c541/original/earth-sea-and-sky-cover-250.jpg/!!/b%3AW10%3D.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Earth-Sea-and-Sky-Cover-250.jpg" /></a></p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653172012-07-25T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00National Boys Choir give Australian Premiere of De La Mare Songs
<p>The National Boys Choir of Australia gave the Australian premiere of my new choral work, <em>Three Poems of Walter De La Mare</em>, at the Melbourne Recital Centre on Saturday 21st July. The boys gave a first class performance under the direction of Peter Casey, accompanied by Robyn Cochrane on piano, as part of their Winter Concert, alongside works by Bach, Faure and Morricone. Congratulations and thanks to all at the NBCA.</p>
<p>The poems are a setting for three-part upper voices of words by the English Poet Walter De La Mare - Five Eyes, Silver and Tartary. </p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653182012-07-11T01:00:00+01:002021-01-29T15:08:26+00:00De La Mare Songs World Premiere in New Zealand
<p>The National Boys' Choir of Australia have given the world premiere of my recent work for upper voices and piano, <em>Three Poems of Walter De La Mare</em>, on their recent tour of New Zealand.</p>
<p>The premiere was given at St Peter's Church, Takapuna in Auckland, as part of a joint concert with the Orlando Singers and the Auckland Boys Choir. The boys went on to perform the work in concerts at the Rotorua Civiv Theatre, Waiapu Cathedral and Wellington Cathedral.<em> </em></p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653162012-04-22T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00UK Premiere of 'Hush, the Waves'
<p>Congratulations to the Senior Choir of University College School Junior Branch, who gave the UK premiere of 'Hush, the Waves' at their recent Spring Concert. The boys gave an excellent performance under the expert direction of musical director Stephen Lanigan-O'Keefe. Many thanks to all involved!</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653152012-02-19T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00July Premiere for De La Mare Songs
<p>My new set of choral pieces - Three Poems of Walter De La Mare - will receive its premiere performance this July by the National Boys Choir of Australia at the Melbourne Recital Centre. The work is a setting for three-part upper voices of poems by the English poet Walter De La Mare: Five Eyes, Silver and Tartary.</p>
<p>The National Boys Choir of Australia is one of Australia's leading treble-voice choirs. They gave the world premiere of Songs of the Sea & Sky in 2010, also at the MRC, and the work was part of their repertoire for their tour to China later that year.</p>
<p>Copies of the Three Poems of Walter De La Mare can be ordered through the BUY section.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653142012-02-05T00:00:00+00:002021-01-29T15:10:03+00:00Hal Leonard Publishes Songs of the Sea & Sky
<p>Hal Leonard have published my set of three choral pieces, Songs of the Sea & Sky, as part of the Henry Leck Creating Artistry Series. The songs are available as sheet music and digital downloads.</p>
<p>Click the cover below to go to the Hal Leonard page:</p>
<p><span style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect:underline"><a href="http://www.halleonard.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=8754139&lid=0&keywords=todd%20mcneal&subsiteid=1&" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/425342/fe4eb9507943b3d601d9be46643ac47ced51252d/original/08754139.gif/!!/b%3AW10%3D.gif" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /></a></span></p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653122011-05-07T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Captain Ahab Redeemed at Male Voice Festival!
<p>Congratulations and many thanks to the men of the Pemulwuy National Male Voice Festival, who performed my commissioned work, The Redemption of Captain Ahab, in their Finale Concert at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre last week.</p>
<p>The piece, with words by Queensland poet Mark Svendsen, develops the idea that the ghost of Captain Ahab would not be too pleased to hear about another white whale wandering free! This time, the whale is not Moby Dick, but Migaloo, the white humpback who journeys along the east coast of Australia every year. As the title suggests, it has a rather different ending to Melville's classic novel...</p>
<p>The men of the Pemulwuy Festival Adult Choir did a first rate job and were a pleasure to work with and sing with (I joined the choir for the Festival). We performed under the superb direction of internationally renowned choral conductor Dr Christopher Kiver and with the great accompanying of Justine Favell. The Festival is organised by Voices of Birralee and brought together over five hundred men and boys, choirs from all round the country, conductors, teachers and composers. It was a huge success and we all left in great spirits! A CD and DVD of the Finale Concert will be available soon. Many thanks also to Kate Albury and the boys of the Brisbane Grammar School Chamber Choir, who gave a very sensitive performance of Hush the Waves at the Sunday evening concert!</p>
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Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653132011-01-23T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:10+00:00Junior Gondwana perform Hush The Waves
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Congratulations to the boys and girls of Junior Gondwana, conductor Kate Albury and pianist Thomas Johnson. They performed my piece, Hush The Waves at their National Choral School Prelude Concert yesterday at the Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music. It was a really sensitive and thoughtful performance which told the story of the piece - many thanks to all involved! It was also a pleasure to meet the choir earlier in the week and have a chance to talk about the piece with them.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653112010-09-28T01:00:00+01:002020-10-13T07:19:31+01:00Grace & Favour Reading at Cockpit Theatre, London
<p>Grace & Favour, the new musical play with music by Todd McNeal and book and lyrics by British writer and actor Jane Scott, is to have a professional reading at the Cockpit Theatre in London. US director Louis Fantasia will be directing the reading and it will be a great chance to see the show "on its feet" in front of an invited audience. We'll be doing the complete book together with about six complete songs from the show and musical excerpts from the other songs.
The reading is at 7pm on Monday 4th October at the Cockpit Theatre in Marylebone, London.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653102010-08-12T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00Songs of the Sea and Sky
<p>The National Boys Choir of Australia gave an outstanding world premiere performance of Songs of the Sea and Sky on July 31st at the Melbourne Recital Centre, as part of their Winter Concert. The songs were performed with great sensitivity and musicality and were very enthusiastically received by the audience.
Many thanks to all the boys, to artistic directors Philip Carmody, who conducted the set of pieces, and Peter Casey, and to accompanist Robyn Cochrane.
In September the NBCA are off to Hong Kong and China, where they will perform the Songs at a number of very prestigious venues, including the Shanghai He Lu Ting Concert Hall, Hangzhou Grand Theatre, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and the Tianjin Concert Hall.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653092010-03-26T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00National Boys Choir to Perform 'Songs of the Sea & Sky'
<p>The National Boys Choir of Australia will give the world premiere of 'Songs of the Sea & Sky' in Melbourne this July. They will be performing the set of three pieces at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall on July 31st as part of their mid-year concert, and then later in the year in Hong Kong and China.
The National Boys Choir is one of Australia's finest treble choirs. Their website is www.nationalboyschoir.com.au</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653072010-02-03T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00On Rotation at Skope Radio!
<p>My work has been selected for the internet radio station, Skope Radio. This is the streaming audio portion of skopemag.com. The site receives over 1,750,000 hits and 100,000+ radio streams per month.
They are featuring 'Let it Go, Brother' on rotation for the month of February. Check it out at www.skopemag.com/radio.html</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653082010-01-31T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00Flying High at Choral Symposium!
<p>Over the Summer I have been putting the finishing touches to a set of three choral pieces I started last year. One of them - Flying Man - has been performed in workshops at the Australian Choral Conductors Education and Training Summer School in Melbourne. It was very well received and I am hoping the full set - Songs of the Sea and Sky - will receive its premiere this year.
Many thanks to Maxien Bradley for taking 'Flying Man' to ACCET and for her enthusiasm and commitment to my work.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653062009-02-09T00:00:00+00:002021-01-29T15:09:29+00:00Honourable Mention in Indie International Songwriting Competition!
<p>My song, 'Let it Go, Brother' was awarded an Honorable Mention in the folk/acoustic category of the Indie International Songwriting Competition 2008. You can listen to the song in the MUSIC section, or click on the link below and head to WINNERS to find my page at Indie International.</p>
<a href="http://www.indieinternational.com" target="_blank" data-imported="1"><img src="http://indieinternational.com/logos/winners/winner1.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Indie International Songwriting Contest Winner" width="245" /></a>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653052009-02-09T00:00:00+00:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00'Grace and Favour' complete and ready to go!
<p>The full-length stage musical 'Grace and Favour' is complete and ready for promotion in a fully-revised version!
Music is all by myself and book and lyrics are by British writer and actor Jane Scott. Head to MUSIC to hear some of the songs in brand new recordings.
'Grace and Favour' is a dark and humourous contemporary fairytale. The show tells the story of Grace - a girl abandoned by her weak father and narcissistic stepmother, and sent to a bizarre progressive school in a remote forest run by a strange old lady. Here she falls in love, remains loyal to her family and watches as tragedy unfolds. It's a moving story with a big heart, lightened by plenty of humour and a great sense of energy in the lyrics, music and dialogue.
We had some very encouraging feedback on the first draft of this work from the Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre, which you can check out at REVIEWS, and we have high hopes for this newly-revised version.
A special thank you to all the singers who performed for these recordings and did such a great job - Emilie Lemasson as Young Grace, Eva Spata as Carolanne, Jeremy Curtin as Sir Felix Statione and Michael Curtin as Swanny. Also big thanks to recording engineer Michael Bartolomei at One Chook Studio, Bondi.</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653042008-09-14T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00Film Music
<p>I've added some new music and links to the site to show some of the film music I've written over the last few years. They include piano music for "Mother's Crown" by Perth-based filmmaker Misagh Habibi, a beautiful documentary that follows sculptor J J Jannu as he works on a new piece. Habibi's film has a great sense of stillness, which I reflect in the music, basing it on a short prayer that Jannu sings in the middle of the film as he is sculpting. You can also follow the link to Joe Hughes' eccentric "Victoria Bridge", an affectionate take on a bridge in Western Sydney being renamed after Victoria Beckham. It was recently screened at the Winter Magic Festival in the Blue Mountains. The music allowed for a little irony... Head to MUSIC and LINKS to check them out. Todd</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653032008-08-17T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00Feedback and forwards...
<p>I've had some great feedback on 'All My Good Intentions', some of which you can read about in the REVIEWS section. The people at TAXI, the big independent A&R company, have been pretty impressed and have forwarded some of my work to producers and recording artists.</p>
<p>Also a big thank you to Cass Pride at Qwerty Photography for the great new publicity shots. They're up on the website now and I'll be using them in all my publicity. Todd</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653022007-10-07T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00A bit about 'All My Good Intentions' -
<p>Most of the songs were composed during a few months of fervent creativity when I moved to Australia in 2003. I’d been working with lyricists Tom Green (Twice its Weight in Gold) and Aidan Matthews (Star). Then I found myself a long way from home with a piano, a few months to spare and my beloved wife out at film school, and these songs just started coming out, lyrics and all - I didn’t have much choice! I knew I needed a big, decent voice to do the songs justice, so i teamed up with lush British vocalist Emma Lewendon. I first heard Emma sing back in the UK when she was with the contemporary folk trio Kai and I was blown away by the full, warm tone and beauty of her voice. What I didn’t realise at the time was how versatile a performer she is: far from being a folk music specialist, she’s equally at home with jazz, pop and music-theatre. When I found out through our mutual friend, English composer Richard Leigh, that Emma was coming to Sydney for six months, I knew I had to get her to sing these songs. In choosing the other musicians I was really influenced by the sound on Jamie Cullum’s first album. I wanted jazz players who could help create that same warm, natural sound of quality pop songs with jazz instrumentation. Dave Ellis (bass) and Lawrie Thompson (drums) fitted the roles perfectly, and there was some fantastic solo work from Graham Jesse (flute) and Peter Kartu (trumpet) on a couple of tracks. I don't like to say too much about the songs themselves. They're mostly pretty personal, but I hope people can find their own point of contact. I found on the occasions I tried to tell Emma exactly what a song meant to me she gave me a kind of look and I felt I was intruding...so i just let it go. One song, maybe, is worth explaining: Bird with the Burning Wings was inspired by a story from the partition of India. In a particular city many people kept pigeons on their rooftops, but so many houses were burning that the birds had nowhere to rest and they had to keep flying, but their wings had caught fire with all the fighting, so they were flying with burning wings and nowhere to rest. **************************************** Emma Lewendon – vocals, backing vocals Todd McNeal – piano, keyboards Dave Ellis – acoustic bass, electric bass Lawrie Thompson – drums Graham Jesse – flute on Black Dog and Star Peter Kartu – trumpet on Star Produced by Todd McNeal Recorded and mixed by Michael Bartolomei at One Chook Studio, Bondi Mastered by Albert Zychowski at Sony DADC Mastering, Huntingwood Art Direction & Design by Kathleen Woolford Photography by Jedda Bradley</p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653012007-09-01T01:00:00+01:002021-01-29T15:08:51+00:00'All My Good Intentions' available worldwide
<p>My songwriter's album, All My Good Intentions, is now available worldwide at cdbaby.com, itunes, cdunsigned.com etc. Head to MUSIC to check out some tracks and BUY for links to the stores. Or follow the links below...</p>
<div style="width: 225px; height: 120px; margin: 0; padding: 0; border: 0; background-image: url(http://www.cdbaby.com/Images/Links/Black-Buy_Album_100px_horz.png);"><a style="display: block; padding: 10px 10px 10px 115px; margin: 0; border: 0;" href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mcneallewendon" data-imported="1"><img src="https://CDBaby.name/m/c/mcneallewendon_small.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Todd McNeal with Emma Lewendon: All My Good Intentions" height="100" style="border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;" width="100" /></a></div>
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<div style="width: 125px; height: 40px; margin: 0; padding: 0; border: 0; background-image: url(http://www.cdbaby.com/Images/Links/White-Buy_MP3_nothumb.jpg);"><a style="display: block; width: 125px; height: 40px; margin: 0; border: 0;" href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mcneallewendon" data-imported="1"></a></div>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61653002007-08-24T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00Make That August '07!
<p>Good Intentions come to those who wait...or something. Anyway, my album 'All My Good Intentions' is ready, finished, here, available, and sounds great! Huge thanks to Kathleen Woolford for the great artwork. You can check out out some of the songs from the album in the MUSIC section, all in decent long audio clips. Enjoy... Oh yes, and you can buy it online at CD Baby. Just go to the BUY section above and click the link. </p>
Todd McNealtag:toddmcnealmusic.com,2005:Post/61652992007-05-20T01:00:00+01:002019-12-14T13:02:09+00:00Album Launch June '07
<p>My songwriter's album - All My Good Intentions - with vocals by stunning UK singer Emma Lewendon, is finally on the way. Just the artwork to finalise and then off to Melbourne for manufacture. Watch this space!</p>
Todd McNeal