STRING QUARTETS RECORDED
In the next month or two a recording of Anthony’s three string quartets, superbly performed by the Jade String Quartet, will be released by Rattle Records.
The Third Quartet, In Time was composed in 2023 and is a meditation on the
temporality of life but also a celebration of it. The first Quartet was composed when Anthony was 23, a student living in Budapest,
and it had remained unperformed until premiered in 2020 by Dunedin ensemble the Exhibition Quartet.
The Jade String Quartet then took it up, along with the other quartets, performing them all in 2024 prior to the recording.
An interesting feature of the three quartets is that each is separated from its neighbour by 20 years. The album, therefore,
involves a variety of styles.
FRANGRANTISSIMA ON TOUR
A new and short trio for flute, cello and harp by Anthony has been touring through the North Island and is now heading South. Entitled Fragrantissima,
the trio was written in 2024 and evokes the smell of Winter Honeysuckle, or Fragrantissima, a strong and beautiful scent that induces a sense
of calmness and well-being. The piece was commissioned by the Aurum trio: Barbara Hill (flute), Robert Ibell (cello) and Michelle Velvin (harp).
The tour takes in Christchurch, at the Piano on April 29. Blenheim April 30th
NEW SONG CYCLE
Anthony has collaborated with his friend Fiona Farrell on a monodrama for mezzo soprano and piano entitled You! Who?
Fiona’s poems trace the evolution of a relationship, from first meeting through marriage, babies, separation, reconciliation and finally death.
Anthony was inspired to compose the work for mezzo and work colleague Tessa Romano, who gave a stunning performance as Circus Woman in Anthony’s
opera The Trapeze Artists.
You! Who? Will be premiered by Tessa Romano (mezzo) and Terence Dennis (piano) on May 7 at 1pm in Hanover Hall, as part of NZ Music Month celebrations
at the School of Performing Arts, University of Otago. There are plans to vídeo the work in June, for the SOUNZ website.
SYMPHONY 6
SOUNZ, The Centre for NZ Music, has released the film of Symphony 6.
BASSOON QUINTET RECORDING
The RNZ recording of the first performance of Anthony's 2023 work Farewell for bassoon and string quartet is now available. Follow the link. Performers are Todd Gibson-Cornish, Donald Armstrong, Wilma Smith, Amanda Verner and Matthias Balzat.
GODWITS
Anthony's new work Godwits sets a beautiful poem written especially for the commission by Anne French. It traces the epic Journey of the birds from Foxton in Aotearoa to the other side of the world. The premiere will be on May 18 by Renaissance Singers of Palmerston North and will feature Matthew Marshall on lead guitar, along with student guitarists.
WORLD CHOIR GAMES
Anthony has composed two waiata for a collaborative work to celebrate Matariki at the 2024 World Choir Games. Forming part of a sequence of songs by New Zealand composers, Anthony's waiata are Waipunarangi and Ururangi, and are scored for SSAATTBB. They will be sung by Viva Voce and the New Zealand Youth Choir, respectively. The concert where these waiata will be heard is being held in Trinity Cathedral in Parnell, Auckland on July 15.
THE TRAPEZE ARTISTS
The Dunedin Fringe Festival production of the chamber opera The Trapeze Artists, directed by the talented Terry McTavish, won the UNESCO City of Literature 'Beyond Words' Award. A video of the performance will be available on the SOUNZ website when it has been edited.
SYMPHONY 6
Anthony's Symphony No. 6 has been reviewed by Nick Barnard of MusicWeb International and Elizabeth Kerr of Five Lines. Begun during the first Covid lockdown in 2020, the work reflects on personal as well as societal challenges. The symphony has a meditative character, with reflections on love, death and
spiritual realms.
A feature of the work is a recurring saxophone solo.
A Rattle Records CD of Symphony No. 6 has been recorded by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and is now available for purchase.
Search, instrumentation, buy PDF
HORN TRIO: RE-BIRTH
Anthony has composed a Horn Trio
for the group Armstrong Jacobs Liu (Donald Armstrong, violin, Samuel Jacobs, horn,
Jian Liu, piano). It uses the same combination of instruments as the famous Brahms trio, and complements it nicely in a
programme.
It received its premiere in Upper Hutt, New Zealand, in
March 2023 to an appreciative audience. The trio has toured other North Island centres and will be recorded
for Radio New Zealand Concert. The work has a theme of regeneration following illness, as
well as reflecting on childhood.
The trio will be performed again in Wellington on Sunday 16th July. This time Alex Hambleton will be playing the horn part. More info . . .
Score and parts are now available from the Works link on this website.
DAYDREAM BY THE CLUTHA
Anthony has composed a short piano piece that evokes a summery day in
Central Otago by the beautiful Clutha river. It was commissioned by
Rae De Lisle for publication in her pedagogical volume of New Zealand
piano music entitled Fit 4 Piano Etudes: 12 etudes by New Zealand
composers. It is designed for intermediate to advanced pianists.
The piece
has just had its premiere, along with the 11 other
etudes, all played by pupils of Rae. Daydream by the Clutha was
performed by Melody Deng, and will be recorded by Stephen De Pledge to
accompany the publication.
STRING QUARTET NO. 3
In May 2023 Anthony completed his third string quartet, 20 years after
the second quartet. Anthony's quartet is sub-titled In time. Two dance
movements frame the work, contrasting with two slow movements entitled
Heartbeat and Funeral March. Sandwiched in the middle is a movement
named Perpetual Motion. The work is a meditation on the passing of
time, and explores the temporal nature of our existence; at the same
time, it celebrates the joy of creating and performing music in time
with each other.
The new work was premiered by The Jade
Quartet on June 24 at Ferndale House in Mt Albert, Auckland. The Jade
features Miranda Adams and Liu-Yi Retallick on violins, Robert
Ashworth viola and James Yoo, cello.