Mark Isaacs - Bodhi: Chaconne for solo violin

NOMINATION: Work of the Year - Chamber

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).

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Nominee

Mark Isaacs

Title of the work

Bodhi: Chaconne for solo violin

Performer

Amalia Hall

Performance Date

6/10/2024

Venue

St Paul's Church, Burwood, Sydney

Nominator Statement
As a distinguished Australian violinist has attested, Mark Isaacs' solo violin chaconne 'Bodhi' is a worthy addition to the repertoire, and is heartfelt and convincing.

Completed in 2024, it was a private commission by the Spencer White family & Studiowdoubleyou.

The world premiere was performed by distinguished New Zealand violinist Amalia Hall (leader of the New Zealand Trio and concertmaster of Orchestra Wellington) in St Paul's Church, Burwood, Sydney, on Sunday October 6, 2024.

The title "Bohdi" is a word of Sanskrit origin that means "awakening" or "enlightenment". It is also the name of the commissioners' newly-born first grandchild, to whom it is dedicated.

Mark Isaacs's chaconne is something of a hommage to Bach's famous solo violin Chaconne. Its key is unusually centred a full tritone away from Bach's D minor, in G# minor, making it a technical challenge to play with its copious multiple-stopping in this key of five sharps and thus using few open strings. The theme does gravitate as it develops by chromatic modulation toward the more "natural" open string keys of the violin. As is a hallmark of the chaconne form, the work features a theme statement and variations on its harmonic movement.

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