Water Music

Commissioned by the Victoria Symphony 2012.

Water Music is approximately 8 minutes long. There are five sections:

Bubbles
Sungreen
The Bends
Reef
Coral
Water

However, there is no break or pause between them.
During the work there are a number of theatrical gestures that members of the orchestra
can perform to enhance the overall effect of the piece:
Bar 60 through bar 63, bassoons lift their horns high up like smokestacks.
Bar 63 through bar 64, Tuba stands and raises the horn over the head pointing
the bell at the audience like a periscope of ship’s air intake.
Bar 65 through bar 66, French Horn 2 stands and raises the horn over the head pointing
the bell at the audience like a periscope of ship’s air intake.
Bars 112 – 116, Violins seated closest to audience (downstage) paddle with violins to the right
of their seat, following the rhythm of player in front of them.
At rehearsall letter E (bar 76) a deep sea diver enters and explores the space.
At bar 125 Fish #1 enters. These are Airswimmers, remote controlled paper fish that float.
At bar 137 Fish #2 enters.
At bar 147 the Diver collects the last of a few colourful specimens and begins to exit.
Fish exit at this time and are gone before the diver.
There is a slight pause in the music at bar 162. This signals readiness to pull a large, colourful
sea creature (prop made from fabric) offstage (using fishing line) at the last flourish at the downbeat of bar 164.

It was a wonderful experience. The Victoria Symphony players, led by Tania Miller, were open minded and willing to engage with the theatrical aspects of the work. My deepest gratitude to this excellent ensemble for this wonderful rendition of my work.

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