Collusion Record Release

Hybrid arts ensemble Collusion has signed their debut album In Depth to Australia's Move Records. In late 2005, I produced and recorded these stunning musicians in the IMERSD studios. The project features first-release works by renowned international composers Paul Stanhope, David Schiff, Gerard Brophy and others. Look out for In Depth (MD3310) in the record stores and forthcoming national tours by Collusion.

Collusion also performed recently at the Creative Commons Australia live showcase, ccSalon as part of the Creative Commons Industry Forum held on 29 November 2006 at QUT's Creative Industries precinct in Kelvin Grove, Brisbane:

Collusion performing with a backdrop of audio/visuals by Andrew Garton

from Toysatellite live as part of the ccSalon. Photo by Ray Allen

AUC CreateWorld 2006

I was privileged to be part of the organising committee and presenters for CreateWorld 2006 (CW06), arranged by the Apple University Consortium (AUC) in conjunction with Apple Computer Australia and Griffith University. This highly successful 2 day conference was designed specifically for higher-education academic and technical staff in the digital arts disciplines. CW06 was hosted on 5–6 December 2006 at Griffith's South Bank campus, across the facilities of the Queensland College of Art, the Queensland Conservatorium and the Griffith Graduate Centre.

The conference featured a wide range of academic and technical presenters from the University and industry sectors as well as hands-on technical workshops. Sessions include presentations of new media work, techniques and approaches in practice-led research fields including photography, cyber-arts, music, e-learning, film, animation and design. A full range of conference outcomes including podcasts, blogs, photos and presentations may be found at www29.griffith.edu.au/createworld

del.icio.us: digitalarts, conferences

llumination

Myself and colleague Matt Hitchcock were commissioned to record Illumination, by Queensland composer Sean O'Boyle. An 11 minute orchestral work, it features choir, the didgeridoo of William Barton and celebrates the history of Queensland and the opening of Queensland’s world-class new State Library. The music will be available for streaming on the Queensland State Library website and will feature in Education Queensland's school music curriculum as a unique piece for school orchestras.

The new Queensland State Library was officially opened by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie on the 29 November 2006. The new Library is now spread over five-levels and has an expanded John Oxley Library with more than 3.5 million items to explore, one of the largest publicly available collections of artists’ books in Australia, and digitised collections of heritage material, photographs and music. It also has increased reference resources, an information zone with wireless internet access, multiple galleries and display spaces, an Indigenous Knowledge Centre and wide decks with stunning views of the river and Brisbane’s CBD.

Music Qld Project

I produced the recordings of previously unheard Queensland historical compositions. The genesis for this recording project was the Music Queensland initiative of the State Library of Queensland, which is in turn linked to the ‘Music Australia’ project hosted by the National Library of Australia in Canberra. From the approximately seventy works that are available in digital format at www.musicqld.slq.qld.gov.au, a representative selection of twenty pieces is presented on this recording. More recently, we have completed a one hour radio program featuring ABC music expert Vincent Plush and QCGU Director, Prof Peter Roennfeldt, along with a Music CD, both intended for commercial release in the near future.

L. to R.

Emily Cox: Director, Brisbane Chorale (QCGU alumnus and staff member)

Jason Barry-Smith: baritone soloist (QCGU alumnus and staff member)

Sarah Sullivan: soprano soloist (QCGU postgraduate student)

Lynne Jordan - piano accompanist (QCGU alumnus)

Jayson Gillham: piano soloist (QCGU undergraduate student)

Griffith Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian O'Connor

Adele Nisbet: project artistic advisor (QCGU Head of Voice)

Professor Peter Roennfeldt - project curator (QCGU Director)

Phil Smith: ABC Radio National journalist and guest speaker

Leah Giles-Peters: State Librarian

Professor Paul Draper: project sound producer (QCGU Head of Music Technology)

The project was initially funded by the State Library of Queensland, and produced in the IMERSD studios of Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, under the curatorship of Professor Peter Roennfeldt and staff from the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre. Additional funding was provided by Arts Queensland through its Small Projects scheme for production of the CD. All of the soloists are current or former students and staff of the Conservatorium, where the Brisbane Chorale is also based.