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Home / Compositions / Orchestral

Orchestral

Andrew Ford has composed a lot of works for orchestras, large and small, with and without soloists.

Please click work titles for more information and resources (audio, sheet music, program note etc.) about individual works in this category.

A Dream of Drowning (2009)

6 minutes
for baritone, vibraphone, harmonium, celesta, harp, strings

The first song in the song cycle The Drowners.

Text:

Tim Winton (from his novel Breath)

Commissioned by the West Australian Symphony Orchestra

First performance by Teddy Tahu Rhodes and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Paul Daniel, Perth Concert Hall, 12 March 2010

More Info

The Musical Child (2009)

20 minutes
for speaker, piano duet and string orchestra

Text: Cathryn Strickland (libretto)

Commissioned by the Australian National Academy of Music

First performance by Andrew Ford (speaker), Orchestra of Australian National Academy of Music conducted by Brett Dean, ANAM, South Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne, 20 May 2010

More Info

Bright Shiners (2009)

5 minutes
for solo violin and string orchestra

Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra to mark Richard Tognetti's 20th anniversary season

First performance by Pekka Kuusisto (violin) and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, City Hall, Newcastle, NSW, 12 March 2009

More Info

Symphony (2008)

18 minutes

3 (=picc)-2-2 (II=bass cl)-2(II=contrabsn) / 2-2-0-1 / piano / timps / 2 perc / strings

Composed for the Australian National Academy of Music, funded by a fellowship from the Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts

First performance by Orchestra of the Australian National Academy of Music conducted by Brett Dean, ANAM, South Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne, 28 November 2008

More Info

Headlong (2006)

7 minutes
for orchestra

2-picc-2-cor ang-2-bass cl-2-contrabsn / 4-3-3-1 / timps / 3 perc / cel / hp / strings

Commissioned by Symphony Australia for the Sydney Symphony with financial assistance from the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body

First performance by the Sydney Symphony conducted by Jeffrey Tate, Sydney Opera House, 1 August 2007

More Info

Scenes from Bruegel (2006)

20 minutes
for chamber orchestra and prerecorded sounds

i . Children's Games

ii. Hunters in the Snow

iii. The Peasant Wedding Dance

1(=picc)-1(=cor ang)-1(=bs clar)-1(=contrabsn) / 1-1-1-1 / 2 perc / accord / pno / hp / strings*

* String parts may be played by small sections (say, 5-5-3-3-2), or by soloists

Commissioned by the New Juilliard Ensemble and the West Australian Sympohony Orchestra, funded by a composer fellowship from the Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts

First performance by the New Juilliard Ensemble conducted by Joel Sachs, Alice Tully Hall, New York, 24 April 2006

More Info

Sad Jigs (2005)

7 minutes
for string orchestra

This piece may also be played by a string quintet.

Commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra through Symphony Australia with funds from the Australia Council for the Arts

First performance of this version by Australian Youth Orchestra chamber orchestra directed by Helena Rathbone, National Music Camp, Llewellyn Hall, ANU, Canberra, January 2006.

More Info

The Furry Dance (1999)

8 minutes
for orchestra

2(II=picc)-2-2(II=bass cl)-2(II=contrabsn) / 4-2(I=cornet)-2-euph / timps / 2 perc / piano (ad lib) / strings (incl. solo back-desk violin)

First performance by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra conducted by Stephen Barlow (Leanne Bear, solo violin), Llewellyn Hall, Canberra, 22 September 1999

More Info

The Unquiet Grave (1997-98)

17 minutes
for solo viola and chamber orchestra

1(=picc)-1-alto sax (=sop sax)-0-1 / 1-1-0-0 / 1 perc / hp / strings* * String parts may be played by small sections (say, 5-5-3-3-2), or by soloists

Commissioned by the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra with financial assistance from the Performing Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts

First performance by Patricia Pollett and the Biennial Sinfonietta conducted by James MacMillan, Queensland Biennial Festival of Music, Queensland Art Gallery, 25 July 1999

More Info

The Past (1997)

18 minutes
For counter-tenor, flute (=boatswain's whistle) & string orchestra (also optional didgeridoo)

Text: Oodgeroo of the tribe Noonuccal (formerly Kath Walker) and Capt James Cook

Commissioned by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra with the support of the Music Board of the Australia Council.

First performance by Russell Harcourt (counter-tenor), Lorna McGhee (flute and boatswain's call), William Barton (didgeridoo), Camerata of St John's conducted by Federico Mondelci, Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Riverway Arts Centre, Townsville, Queensland, 4 August 2009

More Info

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