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CLAIRE EDWARDES
PERCUSSION
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NEWS
*COIL Solo CD Press Release, May 2007
Claire Edwardes has
been making a mark on the Australian contemporary music landscape since winning
the ABC’s Young Performer of the Year in 1999 and the prestigious Freedman
Fellowship in 2005. She has returned from studies and performances in Europe and
is now involved in several new music ensembles in Australia as well as
establishing herself as a soloist.
This is her debut solo CD, and sparkles with the energy and vitality that
characterise her live performances.
The centrepiece of the repertoire Claire has chosen for this recording is
Ross Edwards’
More Marimba Dances. His earlier Marimba Dances has become one of the world’s
most-played and most-loved percussion works. This second work contains all the
qualities that made the earlier piece such a favourite with both performers and
audiences alike.
Middle-generation Australian composers are further represented here by
substantial works from Gerard Brophy,
Andrew Ford
and
Andrew Schultz.
The individual compositional and rhythmic styles of these three composers is
very evident when they write for solo percussion. Each has written a strong
piece, with elements of both virtuosity and emotion.
Claire has also encouraged composers of her own age to write for her, and we see
this results in the works by Damien Ricketson and Dominik Karski - not wildly
outlandish works but pushing the conceptual and musical boundaries just far
enough.
When all that is done we can relax with the gentle minimalism of Mark Pollard’s
two short works - better than an aspirin!
This CD has been funded by the Music Fund of the Australia Council.
*Duo Vertigo's successful August 2006 Australia wide tour "The Duyfken Project" - a
celebration of Dutch and Australian ties. Starting on August 9, Niels and Claire
travelled to conservatoriums and venues in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane,
Canberra and Sydney presenting public concerts and workshops. Thanks to all of the
teachers and students at the conservatoriums around Australia for their support in the organisation
of and participation in this project. We would also like to thank
Stichting Gaudeamus whose support was
invaluable as well as FAPK (the Dutch Funds for the Arts). Thanks also to ABC Classic FM (who recorded the Sydney concert- details of broadcast to
come) and TURA New Music in Perth who were
amazing!
Defying
Gravity w. Claire and Niels, Perth/Ba Da Boom Percussion w. Niels, Brisbane
*Duo Vertigo
Debut CD released in June 2006 on the Karnatic Lab label - the CD features works by Australian, Dutch and American composers.
"Over the past few years, award-winning Duo Vertigo has become famous for its
riveting and energetic performances, inspiring the creation of imaginative and
innovative new works by composers from all over the world. This disc of world
premiere recordings offers a selection of the strongest, strangest and most
gripping of those pieces, including urban tunes, exotic sound fields,
labyrinthine toccatas and sexy-pick up lines....
Buy the CD at
www.karnaticlabrecords.com for only 15 euros each
*The
Axe Manual is Gramophone's Critic's Choice for 2005.
Arnold Whittall has chosen The Axe Manual as one of his two
best discs of 2005. "For those of you who don't associate Sir Harrison Birtwistle with the piano, or who've so far missed out on some of his best
recent music, I'm choosing a technically immaculate disc on which Nicolas Hodges
is the peerless executant. Perhaps the highlight of the disc is The Axe Manual
in which Hodges is joined by percussionist Claire Edwardes:
if dedicatee
Emmanuel Ax ever records it he will have his work cut out to match this
version."
*The Axe
Manual listed in Sunday Times (UK) as a "CD of the Year" for 2005.
More details
www.nicolashodges.com
Recent Media Coverage and
Articles about and by Claire Edwardes
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Claire Edwardes
Percussion 