Coady Green is a fantastic pianist. He passionately champions new Australian composition. Recently, I have had the great pleasure of getting to know Coady, working with him on a new commission for solo piano Oceans: before us not between. Commissioned for the Tempo Queer series at Tempo Rubato at short notice, I wrote the piece in a rushed download on a sensitive day, then took some time with Coady to bring the piece into fullness through development of the expressive layer and the inclusion of a quasi improvised repeated section.
Allowing the soloist to find their voice in a new work can enable them to truly connect to the work on a deeper intuitive level. The intuitive depth of the soloist's expressive and emotional connection to the music is also a connection to the composer and what they are saying through the score. Because of this, I personally find composer/performer collaborations to be a fruitful way of working. Music is a connection between people. The composer is the mind; the performer is the voice. What better way to connect deeply than through collaborating over intentional sound, shaping phrases in real space and time through discussion, negotiation, and throwing soundwaves around a room until we both feel the meaning of what we are both trying to say.
Here is an excerpt of Coady and I negotiating a repeated section with improvised inclusions.
Oceans; before us not between for solo piano will be premiered by Coady Green at Tempo Queer, Tempo Rubato June 30th 8pm
https://www.temporubato.com.au/tempo-concerts/tempo-queer-five