A Matter of Breath
Into the Volcano

These concerts exemplify the sparkling inventiveness, subtlety and radiance of recent New Music. Virtuosic and physically demanding works, these pieces explore unusual realms of timbre. The rich subtlety of Akira NISHIMURA's Buddhist inspired music from Japan combines with the extraordinary journey of Brian FERNEYHOUGH's Unity Capsule performed by solo flautist Paula RAE, highlighting the symbiotic relationship between composer and performer in extending musical language and playing technique: the erotic/tactile engagement players have with their instruments--a matter of breath and muscles, knife edge precision and high energy performance!

In the second concert, Into the Volcano, brilliant Italian conductor Sandro GORLI and the ELISION Ensemble present a major new piece from Milanese composer Giorgio NETTI. note all'Empedocle takes its inspiration from the story of the Greek philosopher Empedocle who threw himself into a volcano in pursuit of life's meaning. This work proclaims an anti-virtuosic ethic. Here the emphasis is on a homogenous instrumental sound-world, wherein small events, subtly changing articulations and harmonics quietly propose their own form and drama. The preceding work by Gabriele MANCA is quite the opposite; rapid glissandi and bright, high pitches from flute and clarinet reside within a constantly elaborated moto perpetuo from the violin.

Within these concerts of cultural exchange, the three Australian composers represented, Riccardo FORMOSA, Liza LIM and David YOUNG, have each had a substantial but varied engagement with Italian musical life.

A Matter of Breath

Soloists of ELISION Ensemble

Brian FERNEYHOUGH (USA) Unity Capsule (1975-6)

Paula RAE flute solo

Richard BARRETT (Holland) abglanzbeladen  . . .  auseinandergeschrieben (1996-98)

Peter NEVILLE vibraphone solo
WORLD PREMIERE of complete version

Akira NISHIMURA (Japan) Threnody (1998)

violoncello solo

Paolo PEREZZANI (Italy) vocativo (1993)

bass clarinet and contrabass
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Franco DONATONI (Italy) Åse (1990)

soprano and guitar
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Liza LIM (Australia) Philtre (1997)

violin solo
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

David YOUNG (Australia) Il Modello dei Modelli (1992)

Deborah KAYSER soprano, Natasha ANDERSON recorder, Geoffrey MORRIS guitar

Into the Volcano

ELISION Ensemble, Sandro GORLI conductor
Giorgio NETTI, guest composer

Gabriele MANCA (Italy) All about (1996)

flute, violin, clarinet
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Giorgio NETTI (Italy) note all'Empedocle (1994)

alto flute, oboe, clarinet, trombone, percussion I, percussion II, harp, electric guitar, violin, viola, violoncello, contrabass
WORLD PREMIERE

Riccardo FORMOSA (Australia) Domino (1983)

solo clarinet in Eb

Sandro GORLI (Italy) Sei Cadenze (1996)

solo violin
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE

Liza LIM The Heart's Ear (1997)

flute/piccolo, clarinet, violin I, violin II, viola, violoncello

Tickets for each concert are $25.00 (full), $19.00 (concession), or $12.50 (student). Bookings available through Ticketmaster 13 61 66.

ELISION Ensemble gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Commonwealth of Australia through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Melbourne), and the Office of the Vice Chancellor, The University of Queensland