In discussion with Louisa Trewartha
Image by Abigail Trewartha.
Sun Songs & Cycles hits the Abbotsford Convent stage next week. In the lead up I spoke with the composer of one of the pieces, Louisa Trewartha about her piece Instinct for horn and piano.
Louisa completed a Masters in Scoring for Film and Visual Media in 2016 at Pulse College, Dublin, and in 2017 participated in the Australian Composers School with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. She has since been commissioned to write larger ensemble works for groups such as Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, The Regional Centre for Culture, and The Mid America Freedom Band, and chamber works for Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Solstice Trio, Duo Eclettico, and Three Shades Black. In 2022, Louisa also had works performed by the President’s Own US Marine Band, and The National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain.
Tell us about your piece Instinct, which we shall hear in Sun Songs & Cycles.
The work takes inspiration from the incredible occurrence that is long-distance bird migration. Having evolved over thousands of years, long-distance bird migration is triggered by a combination of genetic predisposition, food, temperature, and day length. To find their way halfway round the world, birds are thought to use three types of compasses: sun, star, and magnetic. These three elements inform the musical themes in this work.
What inspired you to write this work?
Phoebe Smithies, who commissioned the work was very open to my ideas (thanks Phoebe!) I had heard a few years ago an ABC interview with author Andrew Darby about the grey plover's migration from South Australia to the Arctic Circle and was fascinated by it, so decided to do more research. He's written an interesting book called Flight Lines which is worth checking out.
I love the idea behind your recent work for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Inspire. Tell us about that piece, and what it was like working with the SSO.
As a country dweller I do really love writing about nature. The piece is about the glint of hope for the natural world that we witnessed in 2020. The resilient response of nature to a brief moment of human pause should inspire us. Inspire also means to breath in, which I felt was fitting for a brass ensemble work. Working with SSO was really ace. A lovely group of humans, who are masters of their craft. It was such an honour to be asked to write the work- they really brought it to life.
Tell us about your next project.
In 2023, I've been commissioned by Canberra Symphony Orchestra to write a work for two horns that will be premiered at their Living Green concert. Apart from that a string quartet, and a brass quintet are possibly in the mix too.
If you had unlimited resources, what would your dream project be?
Ooo! I'd probably write a huge orchestral album, or a ballet, or a musical... or D: all of the above! (Anyone wanting to fund this, don't hesitate to get in contact. Hehe!)
