1960: Born in Isesaski, Gumma, Japan. 1985: Bachelor of Arts from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, 1987: Master of Arts from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, First Prize of the 1st International "Carlos Chavez" Prize for Young Composers, 1988: 10th "Composition Prize" sponsored by Japan Symphony Foundation, Finalist of the Music Today 3rd "Composition Prize", 1994: Finalist of the 1st Nuove Sincronie International Composition Competition, 1996: Studied at the Sibellus Academy on an academic grant from Japanese government, 20th "Arts Prize" sponsored by Jomo Newspaper Publishing Company. Currently, Associate Professor at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music and member of Japan Federation of Composers Inc.
I completed "Constellation" for Orchestra in August 1998. That was the fifth time for me to compose for orchestra. "Constellation" originally means a number of stars seen from the Earth. I tried to create Colorful tones which remind us of beautiful stars twinkling in the clear night sky.
Born in Jerusalem in 1954, Ari Ben-Shabetai is one of Israel's outstanding composers of the third generation. Completed in 1994, the 'Concerto for Piano and Orchestra' is based on an earlier work - '3 Romances' for solo piano. However, while almost the entire music of the '3 Romances' appears also in this Piano Concerto, a considerable amount of totally new musical ideas and gestures were written especially for this Concerto, rendering it essentially a new work. Aiming to achieve an equal importance to the roles both of piano and of the orchestra, an accompaniment was added and new contrasting themes were inserted - expanding the work to it's new symphonic manifestation Although the Concerto can be seen as a new work it's main thematic material is still that of the earlier '3 Romances' and more importantly, the spirit of the 'Romance' form is kept - perhaps even brought to a higher level of intensity. As we know, some of the main hallmarks of the Romance genre are: Invoking nostalgic memories of the past, reminiscences of exotic, distant places, and reflecting upon the fantastic, the supernatural forces of nature and of the universe. Thus, references here to some traditional "Concerti" forms and styles are done intentionally and quite deliberately, as nostagic "flashbacks" of sorts. The echoing of distant sounds, exotic -almost "exaggerated" chromaticism syncopatedrhythms and strongly contrasting sections, can all be seen as musical indicators of this genre.
Bruce Crossman (b. 1961) is a New Zealand born composer resident in Australia. In 1999 he passed a Doctor of Creative Arts degrees from the University of Wollongong, Australia. He also holds research degree from York and Otago universities. He has studied composition with Ross Edwards, Andrew Schultz, David Blake and Jack Speirs. This study was supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award and a York University Scholarship respectively.
Sound Rituals is a ritual 'musical celebration' of Pacific culture specifically focusing on musical fragments drawn from the Philippines and more generally on an Asian 'living sound' approach to color. The musical fragments quoted include a Filipino kulintang rhythm and melodic aspects of the Tiniguan people's "Insect Music" The color approach in the orchestral music is evident in the 'living' labyrinth of timbre changes and interval conglomerations. The structure consists of two large slabs of colouristic fanfares at either end of the piece framing a central slow-fast-slow dance/chorale section. The dance music is marked 'fun and joyous'. The structural concept is that the larger fanfare wash blasts away angst to give way to a more reflective and refined joyous dance.
