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Work

Vanishing Tekopia (unspecified voice with chamber ensemble)

by David Chesworth (2011)

Audio Sample

Performance by David Chesworth, Andrea Keeble, Helen Mountfort, John McAll, Adrian Sheriff, Peter Neville, Eugene Ughetti, Robert Goodge, Jeremy Alsop, Joanne Kuluveovski, Melissa Webb from the CD Vanishing Tekopia

Vanishing Tekopia

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CD

Vanishing Tekopia / David Chesworth Ensemble

Library shelf no. CD 2299 [Not for loan]

Work Overview

The title Vanishing Tekopia refers obliquely to a tiny island with a small population and distinctive culture that is slowly vanishing beneath the Pacific Ocean as global warming increases sea levels. But it also refers to many minority cultural 'islands' throughout the world which are under threat of vanishing, as pressures from larger environmental, political and economic forces take their toll. These include the Hmong in Laos, the Ogoni in the Niger Delta and the Naga in northern India.

In Vanishing Tekopia two singers have mastered a phonetic language which has been specially devised. The ensemble's hope is that Vanishing Tekopia will be seen as both a requiem to and a consequence of the process of cultural absorption and assimilation.

Work Details

Year: 2011

Instrumentation: Shakuhachi, bass trombone, vibraphone, marimba, drum kit, doumbek, mandolin, tiple, guitar, electric bass, piano, violin, cello, taisho koto, bulbul tarang, kaen, autoharp, electronics, vocals.

Duration: 60 min.

Difficulty: Medium

Contents note: Drift daughters of canama -- Dee dang dang -- Dragonfly -- Farla meego -- Apoh jenah -- Kukoya air -- Luna camor lordi -- Tekopia -- Bandana stramm.

Commission note: Audio CD partly commissioned with funds provided by Julian Burnside.

First performance: by David Chesworth Ensemble at David Chesworth Ensemble (Melbourne Recital Centre, Primrose Potter Salon) on 19 Sep 2009

The composer cites the following influences on this work: post rock, post classical, minimal.

Performances of this work

19 Feb 2012: at David Chesworth Ensemble - Vanishing Tekopia (The Famous Spiegeltent (Melbourne)). Featuring David Chesworth Ensemble.

14 Jan 2012: at David Chesworth Ensemble (Princes Wharf 1 (PW1), Hobart). Featuring David Chesworth Ensemble.

16 May 2010: at David Chesworth Ensemble - Vanishing Tekopia (Iwaki Auditorium). Featuring David Chesworth Ensemble.

19 Sep 2009: at David Chesworth Ensemble (Melbourne Recital Centre, Primrose Potter Salon). Featuring David Chesworth Ensemble.

User reviews

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Chesworth Ensemble a Sonic Delight.

Posted by David Pepperell [] on 21 February, 2012

I saw a magnificent concert today - the David Chesworth Ensemble presenting music David composed for his new CD "Vanishing Tekopia". Played by David himself on keyboards with a ten member group it was an extraordinary mix of modern and ancient music utilizing synthesizers and percussionists with ethnic instruments from Japan and other points East. The singing, which did remind of the adorable (?) cats Si & Am in "Lady In The Tramp", was sung in an imaginary language that David has invented but so sweet was its sound that no translation was necessary. High points were Adrian Sherriffs beautiful wailing on the shakuhachi, Robert Goodge's endless creativity on a multitude of guitars, Melissa Webbs delicate koto and khaen figues and Helen Mountfort's soulful cello. The music referenced modern icons like Moondog, Harry Partch and The Penguin Cafe Orchestra (soon to tour here) but was in essence all David Chesworth - echoes of Essendon Airport even reverberated here and there. Why this music is being played in a small venue like the Spiegeltent and not a full two hour extravaganza at the Recital Centre is beyond me. Wonderful music, wonderful playing, wonderful concert. If you get a chance to hear this music dont miss it even if you have a triple bypass scheduled that day!