NOMINATION: Work of the Year - Chamber
Chamber music is defined as works for between 1 and 12 players, with or without vocal parts, and with or without electronics
A work is defined as a single complete musical composition, or expression. This includes music with movements or sub-works (i.e. song cycles), installations, and real-time compositions (improvised music).
If you believe your work to be nominated in the wrong category or the details of your nomination to be incorrect, please contact the AMC via email at awards@australianmusiccentre.com.au before proceeding with the nomination.
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Nominee
Joseph Twist
Title of the work
Refugee
Librettist(s) or source author(s)
Gwen Harwood
Performer
Australian Vocal Ensemble
Performance Date
12/7/2024
Nominator Statement
Joseph Twists Refugee is an emotionally moving setting of Gwen Harwoods poem, composed for the four voices of AVÉ. The vulnerability of one voice per part brings intimacy to the composition, heightening its emotional depth and ensuring every nuance of the text is undeniably felt. The piece is meditative and urgent, carrying an emotional weight that underscores the themes of displacement, resilience, and humanity in the poetry.
The piece opens with a gentle vocal humming, leading into Katie Noonans solo line, carrying the poem's text with clarity. The remaining three voices sustain the humming motif as she delivers the melody, providing a delicate yet immersive harmonic foundation. A shift follows, where the ensemble moves into rhythmic unison. This shift, reminiscent of early vocal works, creates a sense of collective commitment to the text. Repeated phrases pass fluidly between voices, reinforcing the shared responsibility of telling this story and evoking empathy from the listener. Harmonic shifts throughout the piece serve as emotional inflections that guide the listener through the poems contrasting moods. The rawness of the four voices alone portrays the texts gravity, while the smooth, flowing melodic lines and uncluttered harmonies ensure accessibility and immediacy. The simplicity of the harmonic language, far from diminishing its impact, enhances the balance between consonance and tension.
The composition invites reflection, utilising pauses that allow the weight of the text to linger. Subtle harmonic changes underscore emotional transitions within the text. Dark, fear-laden sections resolve into harmonies that hint at warmth and memory, leading to a cinematic listening experience that mirrors the poems journey from despair to fleeting recollections of hope. Rather than adhering to a conventional song structure, the structure mirrors the unfolding of a story, guiding the listener through shifts in mood and perspective.
This composition stands as an essential addition to the Australian vocal chamber music repertoire, joining AVÉs growing library of commissioned worksone of 52 new vocal compositions, making it arguably the largest body of newly commissioned a cappella quartet works in Australia and one of the fastest-growing commissioning projects in recent years. The works accessibility allows for reinterpretation, making it well-suited for performances by other vocal ensembles and adaptable for chamber groups with varied instrumental configurations. Refugee was also recorded and released through ABC as part of a complete song cycle dedicated to setting Gwen Harwoods texts to music. The work has toured regional Queensland, with future performances planned across other Australian states and territories. Through its distribution, recording and performances, it contributes to the broader discourse on migration, belonging, and human endurance, solidifying its place as a contemporary art music work deserving recognition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEYTv5ZZ2co
Nominee
Joseph Twist
Title of the work
Refugee
Librettist(s) or source author(s)
Gwen Harwood
Performer
Australian Vocal Ensemble
Performance Date
12/7/2024
The piece opens with a gentle vocal humming, leading into Katie Noonans solo line, carrying the poem's text with clarity. The remaining three voices sustain the humming motif as she delivers the melody, providing a delicate yet immersive harmonic foundation. A shift follows, where the ensemble moves into rhythmic unison. This shift, reminiscent of early vocal works, creates a sense of collective commitment to the text. Repeated phrases pass fluidly between voices, reinforcing the shared responsibility of telling this story and evoking empathy from the listener. Harmonic shifts throughout the piece serve as emotional inflections that guide the listener through the poems contrasting moods. The rawness of the four voices alone portrays the texts gravity, while the smooth, flowing melodic lines and uncluttered harmonies ensure accessibility and immediacy. The simplicity of the harmonic language, far from diminishing its impact, enhances the balance between consonance and tension.
The composition invites reflection, utilising pauses that allow the weight of the text to linger. Subtle harmonic changes underscore emotional transitions within the text. Dark, fear-laden sections resolve into harmonies that hint at warmth and memory, leading to a cinematic listening experience that mirrors the poems journey from despair to fleeting recollections of hope. Rather than adhering to a conventional song structure, the structure mirrors the unfolding of a story, guiding the listener through shifts in mood and perspective.
This composition stands as an essential addition to the Australian vocal chamber music repertoire, joining AVÉs growing library of commissioned worksone of 52 new vocal compositions, making it arguably the largest body of newly commissioned a cappella quartet works in Australia and one of the fastest-growing commissioning projects in recent years. The works accessibility allows for reinterpretation, making it well-suited for performances by other vocal ensembles and adaptable for chamber groups with varied instrumental configurations. Refugee was also recorded and released through ABC as part of a complete song cycle dedicated to setting Gwen Harwoods texts to music. The work has toured regional Queensland, with future performances planned across other Australian states and territories. Through its distribution, recording and performances, it contributes to the broader discourse on migration, belonging, and human endurance, solidifying its place as a contemporary art music work deserving recognition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEYTv5ZZ2co