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CD
The Passing of a Black Star / New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
Library shelf no. CD 3012 [Not for loan]
Work Overview
When David Bowie died just two days after releasing his final album Blackstar, I could not believe the news.
A few days later, and after listening to the album Blackstar on a loop, I returned to my new commission for the New Zealand Guitar Quartet. It became clear to me that the only piece of music I was going to be able to write was a tribute to David Bowie. On one of my runs in the hills just before dark, I thought of the title, while looking at the rising stars, imagining the Blackstar himself 'passing' among all the other stars.
My own music is interwoven with musical quotations and ideas from three of David Bowie's final album's tracks: Blackstar, Lazarus and I Can't Give Everything Away. Some are more obvious, like the I am a Blackstar motif repeated about a dozen times throughout the piece, and some are hidden in the actual score, like the lyrics to a quasi David Bowie melody, where the text tells the story of the music.
The full programme notes at the beginning of the score explain most of my tributes to David Bowie's work, but I still left a few unexplained 'mysteries' in the work for those, who might want to 'dig deeper'.
(from NZGQ's The Passing of a Black Star (2017) album sleeve notes
Quote from Radio New Zealand: ''It's a very beautiful piece. It's got so much change, and variety, and dynamics, and energy and atmosphere. He's done an incredibly good job of including all those references to Bowie's last album." Upbeat with Eva Radich, Radio New Zealand
Work Details
Year: 2016
Instrumentation: 4 guitars.
Duration: 10 min.
Difficulty: Advanced — guitars 1 and 2 are virtuosic at times, guitars 3 and 4 can be managed by students of approximately AMEB 6/7+ level
Dedication note: Homage to David Bowie
Commission note: Commissioned by New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
First performance: by New Zealand Guitar Quartet at New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Little Theatre (Wellington Region, NZ)) on 1 Dec 2016
Subjects
- Influenced by: Jazz
- Influenced by: Popular music
Performances of this work
20 Jan 2024: at Taranaki Classical Guitar Summer School - Strings of Compassion - A CONCERT FOR CANCER (4th Wall Theatre (New Plymouth, NZ)). Featuring Taranaki Classical Guitar Summer School Orchestra.
13 May 20: UWA Guitar Studio, Perth
16 May 2019: at From Beatles to Bowie (Richard Gill Auditorium, WAAPA). Featuring Plectra Guitar Ensemble.
12 Sep 2018: at Perth International Guitar Festival (Callaway Music Auditorium). Featuring Perth Guitar Quartet.
17 Jun 2018: at Perth Guitar Quartet: Landscapes (The Grove Library). Featuring Perth Guitar Quartet.
15 Jun 2018: at Guitar recital (Teatro Fernando Calderon (Mexico)). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
12 Jun 2018: at Guitarromania, Pinacoteca Universitaria (Teatro Hidalgo, La Universidad De Colima (Mexico)). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
6 Jun 2018: at Christchurch Classical Guitar Society Concert (The Piano (NZ)). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
2 Jun 2018: at The New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Magda Community Artz). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
31 May 2018: at New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Wesley Music Centre). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
28 May 2018: at New Zealand Guitar Quartet (St Paul's Anglican Church Hall (Cooma)). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
21 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
20 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Royal Opera House, Wanganui). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
19 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
16 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
15 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Hokitika's Regent Theatre, NZ). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
13 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Inbox Theatre, Oamaru Opera House). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
11 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
9 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
8 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
7 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
5 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
4 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
3 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
1 Jul 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Belcairn Public Hall, NZ). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
30 Jun 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Picton Little Theatre, NZ). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
28 Jun 2017: at Arts on Tour NZ - New Zealand Guitar Quartet (various venues across New Zealand). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
18 Dec 16: Ouspar, China. Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
17 Dec 16: UCCA, 798 Art Zone, China. Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
17 Dec 16: La Plantation, Shunyi, China. Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
15 Dec 16: Centennial Hall, Peking University, China. Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
14 Dec 16: The Sunrise Concert Hall BUAA, China. Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
1 Dec 2016: at New Zealand Guitar Quartet (Little Theatre (Wellington Region, NZ)). Featuring New Zealand Guitar Quartet.
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