Salisbury, David (2010) Dance of the curlews. [Creative Work]

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Abstract

A composition scored for two guitars and flute based on minimalism concepts. Performed at Umbrella Studios Contemporary Art in conjunction with the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (Nemo Music Publishing).

Research Statement

Research Background	This composition came about due to an exhibition of fashion and textiles by Linda Jackson that was presented at Umbrella Studios - Contemporary Art. In discussion with the director she mentioned that there was to be a fashion show as a fund raiser for the Australia Festival of Chamber Music and forwarded the idea of an original composition using the same configuration of two guitars and flute for a soundtrack of the show.
Research Contribution	I used a minimalist approach to give a more looping quality to the piece. It was structure so that it could sustain itself for any duration depending on the pace of the models and length of the circuit they use to display the garments. Each instrument performs a sequence of repetitive phrases that interacted with the other part to create a contiguous whole structure. Once each part gets to the end of piece they return to the beginning to start over again. The flute part imitates the Curlew call and the two guitars maintain the musical pulse. All three parts convey the melodic concepts at some point during the piece. As it is mostly a contrapuntally structured composition and harmony is incidental, there are no harmonic progressions in the music.
Research Significance	The music inspiration came from research on the Bush Stone Curlews that are so prevalent in tropical north Queensland. These birds have an unusual behavior of running or striding and stopping in a most unique fashion and so seemed to be an ideal imagery for the fashion show.
Item ID:	19433
Item Type:	Creative Work (Recorded/Rendered Work - Audio/visual recording - NTRO)
Media of Output:	Online Distribution
Keywords:	composition, curlews, minimalism, classical, guitars, flute
Date Deposited:	30 Jan 2012 02:58
FoR Codes:	19 STUDIES IN CREATIVE ARTS AND WRITING > 1904 Performing Arts and Creative Writing > 190406 Music Composition @ 100%
SEO Codes:	95 CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING > 9501 Arts and Leisure > 950101 Music @ 100%
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