Voluntary on Tallis’ Canon performance THIS THURSDAY

This Thursday June 2, at 1.10pm, Kurt Ison is playing the Organ Recital at St Andrew’s Cathedral, George Street, Sydney.

Mr Ison will play Brett’s Voluntary on ‘Tallis’ Canon’ (opus 118).

Other works on the programme are:

  • César Franck: Choral no 2 in B minor
  • Henry Purcell: ‘Chaconne’ (King Arthur)
  • Charles V Stanford: ‘The Bluebird’ (opus 119, no.3) arranged by John Keene

Entry is by donation.

St Paul’s Cathedral London Composition Performance

If you happen to be in London on Sunday 18 December 2016, come to the organ recital at 4.45pm at St Paul’s Cathedral to hear Brett’s composition for organ: Voluntary on ‘Tallis’ Canon’.

You can also buy the score of this work from Wirripang, and play it yourself!

Article on new AMEB piano books (including a new McKern work)

A recent issue of Resonate Magazine of the Australian Music Centre includes an article on the new AMEB Series 17 Piano books. Preliminary grade includes a new McKern work called Scherzo.
http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/article/ameb-series-17-piano-celebrating-australian-composition-past-and-present

The books can be bought at the AMEB Online Shop.

New compositions published

There are multiple new McKern works recently published by Wirripang. Some are for choir, some for organ. They can be seen on the Wirripang website:

http://www.australiancomposers.com.au/authors/brett-m-mckern

Or on the new library acquisitions list of the Australian Music Centre:

http://awscdn.australianmusiccentre.com.au/documents/acc01_15.pdf

Or on the list of McKern works at the Australian Music Centre:

http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/artist/mckern-brett

Organ work to be performed at Washington National Cathedral

Sarabande for the Epiphany (part of the Epiphany Suite) is to be played by organist Kurt Ison at Washington National Cathedral in an organ recital at 5.15pm on Sunday 12 April, 2015.

Kurt Ison commissioned Sarabande for the Epiphany for a recital he played at Westminster Abbey on the Feast of the Epiphany in 2013. Here is is being performed at another famous international venue. It has also been performed at cathedrals in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The Washington National Cathedral Great Organ has 10650 pipes, 4 manuals, and 189 ranks!

The Cathedral advises that the suggested donation for attending the recital is US$10.

http://www.nationalcathedral.org/events/OR20150412.shtml#.VI5eOskposL

New ‘Scherzo’ for piano in AMEB syllabus and book

Brett’s ‘Scherzo’ for solo piano for beginners is now on the AMEB Preliminary syllabus in List A.

Here are some YouTube performances of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsx9flGooBY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ_Qg7ai_oY

Thank you for playing my piece!

You can also buy it in the new AMEB series 17 piano book: http://www.ameb.edu.au/piano-series-17-grade-book-preliminary.html

Bowral Organ Recital

Brett is giving the annual Sponsors’ Recital at Ss Simon & Jude’s Anglican Church, 34 Bendooley Street, Bowral on Friday 14 November at 7.30pm.

This annual recital celebrates and thanks all those who have donated to and sponsored the recent refurbishment and completion of the largest and most comprehensive organ in the Southern Highlands. The organ and the very active St Jude’s Music Association are considerable resources in the area. There are many other organ recitals and musical events which can be seen on their website.

The organ is the substantial Richardson/Fincham/Jewkes 2 manual organ.

Next organ recital

Brett is giving a recital at the Hurstville Christadelphian Citadel (cnr Boundary Rd and Myall St, Oatley) on Saturday 11 October at 12pm. This is part of the Open Day there.

Music will include Bach, Mendelssohn, Boellmann’s much-loved Suite Gothique, and other more light-hearted repertoire.

The organ is a delightful small 1905 Fincham instrument.