Music / “Cocooned in Breath”. Soprano SarahLouise Owens sings Sally Greenaway, Margaret Legge-Wilkinson and Michael Dooley. Wesley Music Centre, March 24. Reviewed by ROB KENNEDY. 

THERE needs to be more music of living composers played in concerts in Canberra and around Australia. The quality and innovative music of these three composers from Canberra proves that new music is not the turn-off it once was for so many. 

In this concert of songs that responded to the pandemic and events of 2020, all pieces were commissioned by soprano Sarahlouise Owens through an ArtsACT Homefront grant.

Owens was accompanied by pianist Katherine Day and Hannele Collis on Alchemy crystal bowls and composers Sally Greenaway and Margaret Legge-Wilkinson on piano at Wesley Music Centre.

The first piece was by Michael Dooley, his “Hymn to the Trinity”. Sounding somewhat jazz-like, this cool, gentle piece flowed, not like a hymn but almost theatrical. Over the three movements, it showed a composer who knows how to write not just good piano music, but good vocal parts, too.

The lilting, rich tonal music well-reflected the love the composer has for his subject. While sounding complex at times, it sang of the old and new. Owens performed each song with clarity and drama and the piano playing by Katherine Day, quite exceptional.

The title of the next work, “Girls and Horses in the Fire”, came from a poem by Lisa Jacobson. The music written by Margaret Legge-Wilkinson began with a rising and falling piano line. This atmospheric, mysterious music reminded of a horse running and a crackling fire; it was full of effect, both dark and light.

While the composition was symphonic in style, the vocal part was beautifully woven into the texture of the music. With the composer on the piano, the music had that something extra special. It remained mysterious and haunting from beginning to end.

Another work by Dooley, this time a song set to the words of the poem “Bright Star” by the English Romantic poet John Keats. This song, broken up into arpeggios and block chords, developed nicely through shifting key changes. The singing by Owens was, of course, excellent.

“Cocooned in Breath” was by well-known local composer Sally Greenaway. With Hannele Collis on a C sharp Alchemy crystal bowl and Owens singing, this dreamy, meditative work echoed between Greenaway on piano and the other two performers.

Owens sang vowels high and low and the bowl was tapped and stroked with a variety of beaters and sticks. This created a trance-like atmosphere through a continually repeated note in the middle of the piano keyboard as around that, deep and soulful chords fell. This calming and effecting work showed that Greenaway is one of the most inventive composers in Australia.

I wish we could hear more concerts of new music like this, but if composers in Canberra are not better supported by our local institutions and music lovers, we might find ourselves with a dearth of creative talent. Composers will eventually get fed up with the situation and move interstate or overseas due to a lack of backing and encouragement. Plus, we will miss out on local music that reflects who and what we are.