BY KATIA BEAUGEAIS
Under the direction of Dr John Lynch, The Sydney Conservatorium Wind Symphony will perform the world premiere of Katia Beaugeais’ First Light at Uluru for wind symphony in a gala concert at the Australian National Band and Orchestral Conference, September 24. The work was originally composed for Diana Tolmie and the Queensland Conservatorium Saxophone Orchestra in 2015, receiving its world premiere performances in Strasbourg and Paris. The new version was commissioned by Matt Klohs, Dr John Lynch and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Composer Katia Beaugeais gives us an analysis of her composition and vision for its wind symphony adaptation.
I originally composed First Light at Uluru for saxophone orchestra, inspired by the spectacular sunrise over the landscape. Since I am also a saxophonist, my compositional style is influenced by atmospheric and contemporary playing techniques on saxophone – such as soothing ‘air vibrato’ wind sound effects reflecting the characteristic wind gusts of Ayers Rock. My aim for this new wind symphony version is to enhance the cultural significance of Uluru through the wide range of sound possibilities presented by the ensemble. Some of these aims include Didgeridoo-like vibrato sounds on the tuba (produced by over-blowing a series of harmonic effects on a sustained note); and a clap stick, ostinato-like rhythmic figure to symbolise the Aboriginal spirit and sacred earth of Uluru.
Recomposing the saxophone version of First Light at Uluru for wind symphony has been a rewarding experience, though challenging at times. The saxophone air wind sounds had to be re-imagined for each instrument of the wind symphony – ranging from tuba to piccolo. Based on my saxophone knowledge, I applied the same playing technique to most instruments and discovered how adaptable and even more effective the air wind sounds could be. To create these sounds, certain players have to use their instruments in unconventional ways, such as inverting their mouthpiece and blowing fast air through the opposite end.
To maintain the saxophone identity in the wind symphony version, the original saxophone solo melodic lines are featured. We hear the alto, baritone, tenor, and soprano saxophones on their own, playing mesmerising multiphonic, harmonic trill effects. Soft, wide vibrato sounds from the whole wind symphony then slowly emerge.
Another aim for this new version is to ‘break down the barriers’ between the formal concert setting of players on stage versus the audience. Without giving away too much, in this premiere performance the audience will have the opportunity to see and hear the players up close.
A compositional trait in my music is to involve a certain level of player interpretation and improvisation, allowing players to share a composer-creator role. The new version explores this extensively. I like to give conductors and players a certain level of interpretative freedom when performing my music in order to create a sense of unpredictability and element of surprise in every performance. As a result, different interpretative decisions are made relating to specific ideas within my music, producing contrasting timbral and textural effects.
An example of this can be seen in a trance-like textural sound mass section where the conductor decides on the overall length of the passage and when to cue players’ gestural motivic entries. Based on the overall sound effect the ensemble is creating, players choose how soft/loud to play, how much to crescendo the motif and how much ‘slow to fast’ vibrato speed to employ. These semi-improvised passages throughout the work are presented with a mix of conventional and graphic notation alongside specific instructions for the players.
During the compositional process of this work, the creative collaborative process has been most memorable. I have been very fortunate to work with a wonderful conductor, Dr John Lynch, who has allowed me the opportunity to workshop a number of ideas and try new things out. A composer can have the best ideas on a page, but the support from both the conductor and players are essential to ensure the best possible performance of your music.
Katia Beaugeais is an award-winning French-Australian composer and saxophonist. Her music has been performed in America, Canada, Croatia, Slovakia, Austria, Scotland, Ireland, England, France, Peru, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand. She is undertaking a PhD in Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music analysing the dual role of a composer-performer, under the guidance of Professor Matthew Hindson and Professor Anna Reid.
For more information about this concert and tickets, visit the University of Sydney website.
Image: Joanna Penn via Flickr, CC2.0.
