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Scores available on request
Living Signification (2026)
Living Signification is an exploration of the relationship between natural life-giving things like light, water, plants, blood, and bread and what they represent to us (the thing signified). The piece contains three harsh spiritual cries which are each answered by a succession of these natural things. Each time, the motifs recur shorter, until the piece collapses into a maelstrom of all human existence.
Living Signification is dedicated to Yichi Zhang and was premiered by Yichi (Each) Zhang and Justice Karol on the 28th of March 2026 at The Church of All Nations as part of the Melbourne Composer’s League Elbow Room Concert Series.
Glorification (2025)
Glorification considers the meandering nature of human existence and purpose. From the flute’s natural and human sound, bird calls and water emerge, but are ultimately lifeless and directionless. There is a felt frustration in searching for meaning, until the effort is rescinded and meaning is bestowed by grace in a glorious climax of joy and celebration.
Glorification is dedicated to Dennis Wang and was premiered by Dennis Wang and Konrad Olszewski on the 10th of November 2025 at Hanson-Dyer Hall.
The Perseverance of Recollection (2025)
The Perseverance of Recollection (that painting with the clocks)
• 1: Wandering through life; an agitated prayer
• Interlude
• 2: In dreams, the thing dreamed about is more real than reality
• Interlude
• 3: Fractured mind
• 4: do you remember? I think I do?
The Perseverance of Recollection (that painting with the clocks) is meditation on the finite and indeterminate nature of dreams and memory. In this piece, I wanted to capture the alluring haziness of dreams, memories, and nostalgia inspired by excerpts from Fernando Pessoa’s The Book of Disquiet. The title is drawn from a half-remembered version of Salvador Dali’s famous melting clocks (The Persistence of Memory).
The Perseverance of Recollection (that painting with the clocks) was commissioned by, and is dedicated to, Duo Soluna (Mira Stephens and Tiia Toivanen). It was premiered by Duo Soluna at Vapaan Taiteen Tila on the 3rd of June 2025 in Helsinki, Finland.
Oblation (2024)
Oblation: a Meditation on the Purity of the Divine for Solo Piano.
This recording is from the 2nd of October, 2024 recorded at Hanson Dyer Hall, performed by Justice Karol. Oblation is dedicated to Justice, whose insight helped coalesce the ideas of Oblation and who dedicated much time working with me to develop this piece.
Other Performances Include:
Justice Karol live on 3MBS Radio “The Talent” (24th September, 2024).
Justice Karol at St Stephen’s Anglican Church (14th September, 2024) as part of the Melbourne Composer’s League Elbow Room Concert Series (Premiere Performance).
Before the Law (2024)
A Micro-Opera for Bass and Piano. Libretto by Hayden Taylor, based on the short story of the same name by Franz Kafka.
This recording is from the premiere on the 8th of May, 2024 at Hanson Dyer Hall, with Leyland Jones singing and Samuel Hill playing piano. Costume and stage design for this performance was by Rebekah Larratt.
Imago Dei (2023)
Sonata da Camera for Violoncello and Piano.
This recording is from the premiere on the 17th of May, 2023 at Hanson Dyer Hall, with the composer playing violoncello and Samuel Hill playing piano. Imago Dei is dedicated to the memory of the composer’s grandfather, Stanley McKay, who passed away that same evening.
Bleeding Silence (2023)
For Saxophone Ensemble and Amplified Violoncello.
This recording is from the premiere on the 2nd of June, 2023 at Hanson Dyer Hall, with conducted by Joseph Lallo with Alex Liu and the Melbourne Conservatorium Saxophone Ensemble. Bleeding Silence was written for Joseph Lallo and the Melbourne Conservatorium Saxophone Ensemble.
With peace… (2024)
For Saxophone Quartet.
This is a studio recording made on the 30th of May 2024, with Marcus Ho (Alto 1), Ryan Li (Alto 2), Lewis Finney (Tenor), and James Patman (Baritone).
Alone (2024)
For Wind Symphony.
This recording is from the premiere on the 1st of June, 2024 at Blackburn High School, with the Grainger Wind Symphony conducted by Shane Walterfang. It is based on the James Joyce poem of the same name.
The noon's greygolden meshes make
All night a veil,
The shorelamps in the sleeping lake
Laburnum tendrils trail.
The sly reeds whisper to the night
A name— her name-
And all my soul is a delight,
A swoon of shame.
Labyrinthine Waterways (2022, revised 2023)
For Orchestra.
Labyrinthine Waterways was written for Artology’s 2022 To Country competition. Originally written for chamber orchestra, it was premiered by Paul Dean and Queensland Youth Orchestra 2 on the 27th of August, 2022 at The Old Museum. In 2023 I expanded the piece for large orchestra and longer duration, and this revised version was premiered by Brett Kelly and the Flagship Melbourne Youth Orchestra on the 5th of November, 2023, at the Melbourne Recital Centre.
This recording is of the original version, performed by Queensland Youth Orchestra 2.