Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

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Work Overview

The words 'painted by brushstrokes of time' came to mind as I pondered how time paints our most sublime picturesque landscapes, creating encounters of deep emotions, beauty, drama and devastation in equal parts.

Brushstrokes of Time is equally born as a response to the devastation of the 2022 floods in my hometown of Queensland, Australia. Witnessing from afar, the "before and after" gave a parallel glimpse into the power of nature and human community.

Through research, I discovered the artworks series of David Ambarzumjan. I was in awe, and equally surprised how similar our titles and concepts are. His ongoing collection of oil paintings in the series is about juxtaposing what was, what is and what may be, exploring different landscapes and places to show how the force of nature and humanity shaped our earth over time.

I retained the original title however took inspiration from the painting and its visual juxtaposition.

In his own words:

"Before the world was created, it was just an empty dark space like an empty canvas, fast forward a couple of years and there's life. Beautiful, colourful and diverse landscapes all around the world. The Brushstrokes tap into different time and places, and explore how the force of nature, and above all how we as humans, shape this planet...

Over time we have become the artists of our planet, radically painting what has been and creating something entirely new. I think it's fair to say we left a big mark on this planet, and how it develops in the future is up to us to decide. The paintbrush is in our hands. I like to think we are all just brushstrokes on a big canvas that is the universe, and before we fade away as well, let's shape our lives to be as colourful and impactful as it gets." - David Ambarzumjan

Work Details

Year: 2022

Instrumentation: 2 flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), 2 oboes (2nd doubling cor anglais), 2 clarinets in Bb, bassoon, contrabassoon, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in Bb, bass trombone, timpani, percussion, harp, strings.

Duration: 11 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Commission note: Commissioned for Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.. Composed as part of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music workshop.

First performance: 18 Oct 22. Iwaki Auditorium, ABC Studios VIC