Violin music
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Australian music for violin
There is a rich tradition of violin playing and teaching in Australia. Research has shown that the violin arrived on our shores with the First Fleet in the late 1700s, with European migrants in the mid- 20th century (Whiteoak, 2023) and most recently there has been documentation on violin playing in our Indigenous communities (Case, 2023).The violin has been an important part of our cultural story from the establishment of Australian orchestras, Musica Viva Australia and numerous festivals and ensembles.
Australian composition for the violin is evident from the mid-late 1800s with the first opera composed by Isaac Nathan. In the 20th century Australian composers have written for the violin for all genres including solo, chamber music and concertos. Works for solo violin and orchestra have been composed by many Australian composers: Margaret Sutherland, Raymond Hanson, Elena Kats-Chernin, Ross Edwards, Brett Dean and Adam Manning to name a few. There are also composers who are string players writing and performing their music such as Martin Lass and Xani Colac.
Representative works
| Work | Notes | |
|---|---|---|
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| Abinu Malkenu (1971) by Mirrie Hill | A 9 minute work of medium difficulty, suitable for AMEB Grade 7-8. |
| between (2013) by Charlie Sdraulig | In this work, the performers play a very small repertoire of sounds that are varied in a small number of ways. |
| Bloodwood Variations (2020) by Kate Moore | Inspired by the Yellow Bloodwood Tree native to NSW that bleeds red sap that makes it look like it is bleeding. | |
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| Changing Skies (2024) by Adam Manning | This work is the third movement of Manning’s composition Hot Season, with revised elements. |
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| Ode (2012) by Lachlan Skipworth | A short piece for violin and piano (or flute with piano) that takes its name from the English poetic form of the same name. |
| CODE ORANGE by Xani Kolac | For violin, loop and effects pedals. | |
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| Three Capriccietti (2022) by Stephen Chin | Each Capriccietti has elements of virtuosity and lyricism yet is very playable for advanced students. |
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| Tarantism (2012) by Joe Chindamo | Combining the rustic tradition of the tarantella with the sophisticated harmonic language of contemporary classical. |
| Triangle music (2018) by Anne Cawrse | Predominantly triple meter with a generally angular, unsettled character. | |
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| Basement art guru and other pieces (2004) by Matthew Hindson | A set of four short pieces for solo violin, each of which is written using a specific compositional technique. |
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| Concertino for violin and eleven instruments (1994) by Elena Kats-Chernin | Written in 1994. |
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| Ice Giant (2023) by Holly Harrison | Written especially for Veronique Serret and draws inspiration from the most distant planet in our solar system, Neptune. |
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| In Stars (2018) by Connor D'Netto | A work for solo violin accompanied by a bed of constantly shifting drones. |
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| Metamorphosis (2021) by Emma Greenhill | Commissioned by The ANAM Set, Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM). |
