A New Year's Update

As Chinese New Year is once more upon me, I thought it would be a good moment to take stock, put the seal on 2022, and to tell you about my future plans. As some of you will know, I recently decided to take a hiatus from choral conducting - in particular wrapping up 10 glorious years as the musical director of the Phoenix Choir Blue Mountains - in order to focus my energies more fully on composition. Of course, my major project for 2023 will be the completion of my new oratorio Albert Morris, however I also have a few more irons in the fire.

Fans can stay tuned for an imminent announcement about the release of a new commercial recording of my Sonata for horn and piano, soon to be available to purchase or stream at all the usual places. Recording took place last October on the stunning grounds of Elkwood Studio in Wentworth Falls, with the wonderful Robert Johnson, for whom the work was commissioned, and Phillip Shovk, who joined Rob to give the premiere performance in 2018.

And finally, I can also report on the recent success of New Music for Winds, where the premiere performance of my first wind quintet received a warm reception from the ever-generous Blackheath audience. My thanks, as always, go to the outstanding players who did such a fine job, and to the commissioners Penny and Greg for making it all possible. I will be making the sheet music for this work available from my site in short order. In the meantime, please enjoy an excerpt from the day with this recording of the 2nd movement.

Wind Quintet No.1 - 2nd Movement

by Rowen Fox feat. Rosamund Plummer, Conall McClure, Frank Celata, Rob Johnson & Matthew Wilkie

Here’s to a prosperous and fulfilling Year of the Rabbit for us all!

Next Concert - New Music for Winds

After many false starts, I can finally announce the premiere of my Wind Quintet No.1, which will feature in a upcoming concert at the Blackheath Uniting Church on Sunday 30th October at 3pm. The quintet was commissioned by Penny Le Couteur and Greg Dickson and gave me valuable employment during the covid lockdown.

I’m extremely lucky to have secured the amazing talents of five truly outstanding musicians, all current or former Principals with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Opera Orchestra. The lineup features Rosamund Plummer on flute, Conall McClure on oboe*, Frank Celata on clarinet, Matthew Wilkie on bassoon and Rob Johnson on horn. The program also includes music by Ross Edwards, Malcolm Arnold, Debussy, Francaix, Rossini and more.

Tickets $45 General Admission and $30 Hardship are available online at https://www.trybooking.com/CCSQE

*Please note, our previously advertised oboeist Linda Jane Stacy is sadly unable to perform for medical reasons, however we are extremely fortunate to have secured Conall McClure as replacement.

The Star of Bethlehem vocal scores now available

Happy New Year and welcome to 2022, everyone. I wish you all the very best for the year ahead.

The newest addition to my store is my recently published vocal scores to Josef Rheinberger’s Star of Bethlehem, bringing this delightful choral work to a new generation with my modern English translation, now available here in both choral score and vocal score editions.

Although my own choir’s plans to reprise the work last christmas was once again scuppered due to covid, congrats to Darwin’s Vocalective choir who recently gave a wonderful performance with orchestra using my new translation (and attractive vocal scores!).

Don’t forget also that my 2017 transcription of this work for Piano and Obbligato Winds accompaniment is available for your choir to purchase or hire. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me via this website if interested.

First Wind Quintet

I was supported during Australia’s first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 by two new commissions. As well as the new oratorio Albert Morris, i was also lucky enough to write my first wind quintet thanks to a commission by generous Blackheath locals, Penny Le Couteur and Greg Dickson. We had one read-through with the players, only to have to reschedule the performance this year due to the second lockdown!

I very much look forward to being able to premiere the work in early 2022. In the meantime, to whet your appetite, here is a short excerpt from that initial readthrough…

Wind Quintet No.1 (excerpt)

Bulgamada 2019

I recently conducted the first Bulgamada: Big Sing. An initiative of Christine Wheeler and the Heathens Choir, Bulgamada means ‘mountain water’ in Dharug language, the indigenous language of Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Barayamari means ‘big sing’ which brought us together on 24 August, using culture, language and song to build and strengthen indigenous and non-indigenous relationships in the Blue Mountains.

Watch Christine and I talk about the project here.

Mozart's Requiem in Blackheath

Phoenix choir’s recent performance of the Mozart Requiem was a sell-out triumph, thank you to all those who came to experience our massed choir sound in all its glory, and apologies to those of you who missed out on getting a ticket. We love the Phillips Hall but unfortunately its capacity is limited.

A write-up and photos of the event can be found here at the choir’s webpage https://phoenixchoir.org.au/mozart-requiem-2/ and we received a great review in the local paper https://www.bluemountainsgazette.com.au/story/6341481/mozart-requiem-phoenix-soars/?cs=1432

Thankyou to all those singers and players who made this such a memorable experience. I feel blessed to have been able to stand in absolutely the best position to hear your awesome sound. I couldn’t stop myself tearing up when I heard our simply stunning rendition of the Lacrimosa during the rehearsal, and the memory is something I wont forget in a hurry.

Horn Sonata for sale - Online Store now live

Sonata for Horn and Piano

A$26.00

Score and Part

Description: Commissioned for and premiered by Robert Johnson in 2018, this sonata consist of three continuous movements. Duration: ca. 11’

Contents: 1 Piano score and 1 separate part for Horn in F

Ships to: Anywhere in Australia

For International orders, or for larger quantity orders including volume discounts, please contact me directly for a quote. 

Add to Cart

I’m please to announce my online store is now live, with the recently commissioned Horn Sonata now available to purchase in a beautiful published score and part format.

I sometimes get asked why I don't make digital (pdf) versions of my editions available. Basically, because without some pretty sophisticated print limiting software I’m unable to then prevent their wider dissemination - making it a lot more difficult for me to protect my copyright and to actually get paid for my work.

Consider instead, the tactile joys of holding a physical score in your hands, and you’ll understand my commitment to maintaining an old-school vanity press. By purchasing one of my editions not only do you get a permanent addition to your music collection, but you support my composition directly.

All this is Ended on Soundcloud

new site features coming soon

Happy 2019 everybody, and my New Year’s resolution was to put in a bit more time on this site, and create some (hopefully) regular updates on my compositional activities, hence this new blog and news feature! I’ll use this to upload more social media links of my most recent performances, such as the newly commissioned and recently performed choral work for the centenary of Armistice - All this is Ended.

Soon also I’ll be launching a shopfront on this site where I’ll be selling most of my published editions, like the hot-off-the-press ‘Sonata for Horn and Piano’ which premiered in early 2018. The store will also be an easy place to navigate to where you can hear more audio samples of my work.

So stay tuned! I wish you all a prosperous start to the year!

xx Rowen