BRENTON BROADSTOCK AM

Overtures, Occasional Works, String Orchestra, Small Orchestra, Orchestral Arrangements:

Let There Be Light (2020) 10'
3 2 2 2 - 4 2 3 1 - timp, 2 perc - pf - strings
Winner, Tampa Bay Symphony International Composers' Competition
Premiere:
Tampa Bay Symphony Orchestra cond. Mark Sfozini January 9, February 22 & 27, 2022

Made In Heaven - Symphonic Suite for Orchestra (rev. 2016) 22’
3 3 3 2 - 4 3 3 1 - timp, 4 perc - harp - strings
A re-working of the concerto (written for James Morrison) for orchestra only. All of the solo lines have been integrated into the orchestral textures.

Review - MusicWeb International by John France 2018
Let’s begin with Australian composer Brenton Broadstock’s superb Made in Heaven...for orchestra. This long four-movement work is a sheer delight to listen to. The composer writes that it is a ‘musical tribute to the iconic jazz recording Kind of Blue made [by Miles Davis] in 1959.’ Other players on that ground-breaking album included Cannonball Adderley, John Coltrane and Bill Evans. Broadstock is keen to point out that Made in Heaven is not an arrangement, nor a transcription, and does not actually quote any material from the album. It is simply a starting point for an exciting fusion of jazz, rock and classical music. The composer defines it as a ‘symphonic metamorphosis.’ Broadstock’s work was composed in 2009 and had five movements, paralleling the five original tracks on the album. In 2013 the work was revised, with a movement deleted and the others reordered. The title reflects drummer Jimmy Cobb’s comment that Miles Davis album was ‘made in heaven. The four movements are ‘So What’, ‘Flamenco Sketches’, ‘Blue in Green’ and ‘All Blues’. Miles Davis aficionados will know that the missing movement was ‘Freddie Freeloader.’ There is no need to analyse Made in Heaven. It is just quite simply outstanding from end to end. I have listened to it at least three times as a part of my review: it has already become a ‘favourite.’ Although Brenton Broadstock states that it not meant to ‘recapture the jazzy coolness’ of the album, for me it is cool, laid back and thoroughly delicious.

In The Sunshine (2013) 5'
2 2 2 2 - 4 3 3 1 - timp, 2 perc - strings
Premiere:
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra cond. Benjamin Northey, Hobart Federation Hall 2013
Performances:
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra cond. Benjamin Northey
Helsingborgs Symfoniorkester (Sweden) cond. David Björkman August 20, 2020
CD Recording:
Tasmanian SO cond. Benjamin Northey Hush CD - The Magic Island Volume 13

Federation Flourish - Overture for Orchestra (2001) 8’
3 2 3 2 - 4 3 3 1 - timp, 2 perc - strings
Commissioned by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for the Centenary of Federation
Performances:
Melbourne Symphony cond. Markus Stenz
Adelaide Symphony
CD Recording:
MSO cond. Markus Stenz Music for Federation ABC Classics

Catch The Joy - Overture for Orchestra (1998) 7’
Commissioned by Betsy Heath for the 10th Anniversary of the Ovations Youth Orchestra, Wheeling West Virginia, USA

Battlements (1986) 12'
2 2(ca) 2+bcl 2+cbn - 4 3 3 1 - timp, 3 perc - pf - strings
Albert H Maggs Award Commission
Premiere:
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra cond. Karl Anton Rickenbacher Sydney Myer Bowl Concert, Melbourne Feb 1986

The Mountain (1984) 9'
picc, fl, ob, ca, cl, bcl, 2 bon - 2 hn, 2 tpt - timp, 1 perc - pf/cel - strings
Commissioned by the National Composers' Orchestral School 1984

Australian Performing Rights Association Award (APRA) for 'Most Performed Australasian Serious Work' 1987

Premiere:
National Composers' Orchestral School cond. Wilfred Lehmann
Performances:
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra,
Adelaide Symphony,
Sydney Symphony cond. Okko Kamu,
Tasmanian Symphony,
West Australian Symphony,
Queensland Symphony
CD Recording: Tasmanian SO cond. Ola Rudner ABC Classics CD

Festive Overture (1981) 10'
2 2 2 2 - 4 3 3 2 - timp, 2 perc - strings
First Prize, 1981 Townsville Pacific Composers' Competition
Premiere: Queensland Symphony Orchestra cond. Vanco Cavdarski
Performances:
Queensland Symphony Orchestra cond. Vanco Cavdarski, Townsville Concert Hall 1981
MSO cond. Jorge Mester
Australia Youth Orchestra cond. Yakov Kreisberg 1994 BBC Proms
CD Recordings:
MSO cond. Jorge Mester ABC Classics CD;
TSO cond. Ola Rudner ABC Classics CD;
AYO cond. Yakov Kreisberg AYO CD

Small Orchestra:
In A Brilliant Blaze (1993) 8’
Commissioned and premiered by the Australian Youth Orchestra Camerata and performed on their tour of Japan conducted by Larry Rachleff.
Performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vernon Handley on their regional tour of Victoria 1993.
Nominated for APRA Music Award 1994 - 'Contemporary Classical Composition of the Year'

with Vernon Handley, Shepparton November 1993

Dance in the Sunlight (2002) 5’ 2 2 2 2 - 2 2 0 0 timp, 1 perc - strings
Premiere:
Academy of Melbourne cond. Brett Kelly Hawthorn Town Hall

String Orchestra:
Expedition (1985) 15'
Commissioned and performed by the Chamber Strings of Melbourne and performed on their tour of China in 1985, conducted by Christopher Martin

Timeless (2002) 10’
Commissioned and performed by the Pro Arte Orchestra cond. Jeff Crellin 2002
CD Recording:
Tasmanian SO cond. Ola Rudner ABC Classics CD

Federation Square (Rooms of Wonders) (2003) 11’
Commissioned and performed by the Pro Arte Orchestra cond. Jeff Crellin 2003
CD Recording:
Tasmanian SO cond. Ola Rudner ABC Classics CD
Performances:
Pro Arte Orchestra cond. Benjamin Northey Melba Hall
Tasmanian SO cond. Ola Rudner
Southern Cross Philharmonic cold. Gerald Gentry

Yarra Yarra (2005) 10’
Commissioned and performed by the Pro Arte Orchestra cond. Jeff Crellin 2005
Performances:
Pro Arte orchestra cond. Jeff Crellin BMW Edge Theatre, Melbourne 2005

Never Truly Lost (2014) 20’
Commissioned by Rob and Nancy Pallin with The Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Performances:
ACO national tour 2014 (9 performances - Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Newcastle, Adelaide)
Recording:
ABC live and broadcast on ABCFM in 2014 and numerous times since.
Never Truly Lost was the ABCs entry to the 2014 International Rostrum of Composers and was selected as one of the ‘recommended works’ and broadcast on several international radio stations.
Never Truly Lost

Junior String Orchestra: Unseen Shore (2007) 8'
(Commissioned by Richard Squibb and PLC String Orchestra)
An attractive work for young string players of low to medium skill

Emu, Wombat and Kangaroo (2010) 8'
An attractive work for young string players of low to medium skill

Orchestral Arrangements:
Away In A Manger - Christmas Carol (1993) 4'
2 2 2 2 - 4 3 3 2 - timp, 2perc - strings
CD Recording:
Australian Youth Orchestra cond. Graham Abbott Christmas Under Capricorn (Tall Poppies CD TP016 1993)

Polovstian Dances by Alexander Borodin (arrangement from piano score) (2015) 10.5’
small orchestra 1fl 1cl 1ob 1bsn, 1hn 1tpt 1 bass trom, 2 perc, piano, 2vn 1va 1vc 1db
Premiere:
Melbourne Metropolitan Sinfonietta cond. Sascha Kelly
Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Sunday March 29, 7pm 2015

Night on Bare Mountain by Modeste Mussorgsky (arrangement from piano score) (2015) 11’
small orchestra 1fl 1cl 1ob 1bsn, 1hn 1tpt 1 bass trom, 2 perc, piano, 2vn 1va 1vc 1db
Premiere:
Melbourne Metropolitan Sinfonietta cond. Patrick Burns
St Stephen’s, Church St, Richmond, Saturday October 31, 9pm 2016

String Orchestra Arrangement:
Siegfried Idyll by Richard Wagner (2013) 21’
(arranged from the original string quartet version)
Premiere:
Southern Cross Philharmonic cond. Gerald Gentry
North Melbourne Arts House August 22, 2013