Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

Women of the Earth was commissioned by the community of St John's Church in Flinders and was written to celebrate the installation of a new stained glass window created by artist David Wright. The commission was generously instigated by the Artistic Director of the Peninsula Summer Music Festival, Ben Opie.

This piece was written specifically for Inventi Ensemble and was tailored to the unique, expressive artistry of the individual members of the ensemble. In creating this composition, I took inspiration from David Wright's creative ideas and the conviction that is imbedded in his work. The subject matter depicted in the window is richly interwoven with many ideas and details, and is imbued with a deep regard for the women of the scriptures, and the women who work within the Flinders Church community. I also took inspiration from the window itself. I was particularly interested in the scientific concepts behind colour and light, the elements used in the different coloured glass, and the universal and spiritual implications of that. At the core of the work is a focus on the voices of women, both as a solo and as a collective.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Ben Opie and the Flinders Church community for commissioning this work and for their warm and generous support. I would also like to thank David Wright for his true inspiration that allowed this composition to be realised.

Work Details

Year: 2018

Instrumentation: Flute in C (doubling alto flute), oboe (doubling cor anglais), violin, viola, cello.

Duration: 10 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Written for: Inventi Ensemble

Commission note: Commissioned by Benjamin Opie.. Commissioned by The Community of St Johns Anglican Church Of Flinders.

First performance: by Inventi Ensemble at Inventi Ensemble (St John's Anglican Church (Flinders, VIC)) on 10 Mar 2019