Music Composition and Music Preparation
Music Composition
Growing up I played a variety of instruments particularly piano, clarinet, guitar and drums. When I finished school, I wanted to be a music therapist, but I was told I was too young and first have to become a performer of classical music which I had no desire to do.
I then spent at least 10 years in crappy rock and roll bands playing bass guitar, singing and writing which I absolutely loved. Finally, in 1996 I started writing classical music where I found a new voice; particularly revelling in writing music for theatre, film and television.
I structure my work using stories and libretti that I usually write myself: sometimes it's just a quote; other times it's a life story.
My Current Musical Project is a collection of children’s songs and nursery rhymes. This is one verse of I Lost My Sock that I animated.
Title / Instrumentation
FILM Journey of Fire – music for documentary directed by Ken Young 01.10.03
FILM Kiss – music for short film directed by Ali Kasapoglu 23.10.02
26.08.02 Rock, Paper, Scalpel – music for short film directed by Michael Weisler
05.06.02 One Trick Pony – brass quintet
20.01.02 Perverse - an opera presented in workshop format at the Black Box, Victorian Arts Centre as part of the 2002 Midsumma Arts Festival. Soprano, Counter Tenor, Tenor and Baritone with Piano.
13.12.01 Winter Harvest - music for short film directed by David Blumenthal.
26.11.01 All Aboard - an orchestral work for children with narrator and multimedia. Performances at the Victorian Arts Centre ANZ Pavilion as part of Nehama Patkin’s ‘Proms for Preps’. Luke Stickels - multimedia
14.09.01 High Rise Fortune - music for short film directed by Ali Kasapoglu.
16.08.01 Fragment of Gratification - piano miniature. Performed by Adam Pinto at the University of Western Australia as part of New Music Week 2001. Fragments of Gratification is a collection of piano miniatures written by Australian composers who were invited to participate.
10.06.01 Love Didn’t Come To Me - Soprano and String Trio - text by Bertha Pappenheim (Anna O.).
07.12.00 Name Day - music for short film directed by Eleni Arbus. Name Day represented VCA for 2000 at Poitiers Recontres International Film Festival in France; it won a Silver Bear Award at the Festival der Nationens in Austria; it was a Dendy Finalist at the 2001 Sydney Film Festival; and has received numerous screenings at other international festivals.
31.10.00 orb.IT - Opera, (about the impact of globalisation and technology on the youth of today) was commissioned by St Martins Youth Arts Centre (Melbourne) and performed during the 2000 Melbourne International Festival of the Arts. Electro acoustic, bass guitar, 30 singers and fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, sop. sax, harp, perc, string quintet. Libretto by cast, music by estelle pizer.
02.10.00 Kora - music for ballet. Chamber ensemble - fl, ob, cl, bsn, hn, sop. sax, harp, perc, and string quintet. Based on the myth of Persephone, Kora was presented on 3MBS-FM 28.05.02
02.10.00 la illaha illa’llah - SATB - text by Mevlana Jalalu’ddin Rumi.
09.11.99 Beneath the Crescent Moon - text and music by Estelle Pizer. sop, fl, bsn, harp, perc, vln, vla, vc. Presented on 3MBS-FM 18.12.01
09.11.99 Tonight My Heart Makes Angels Sing fl, bsn, hn, tmb, vibes, 2 sop, vla, vc, tibetan bells. Also used by the Royal Children’s Hospital for services when babies passed.
02.11.99 Unveiled - string quartet. Performed by the Tarraj Quartet, Melbourne. British Music Society commission.
19.10.99 The Spirit Is Willing - orchestra.
11.05.99 Homesick - solo flute. It was performed at Old Parliament House (Canberra) for Israeli Independence Day 2000. Presented on 3MBS-FM 28.05.02
27.10.98 The Lesson - Soprano and flute. Text by Mevlana Jalalu’ddin Rumi.
22.05.98 The Blackened Pearl - Opera - the true story of a difficult love triangle set in Melbourne ten years after the Holocaust. Libretto and music by Estelle Pizer. Winner of The University of Melbourne, inaugural Opera Composition Competition. 2 Sop, Alto, Tenor, chorus - 3 sop, 2 alto, 2 tenor, 3 bar, cl, bass cl, perc, vln, vla, vc, pno.
02.09.96 Zayin - cl, pno, vc.
18.08.96 Chi Chi’s Lullaby - solo piano.
03.06.96 Wish - solo violoncello. Wish appears on the Fellowship of Australian Composers CD of Cello Music, ‘Spike’, released June 2004. Presented on 3MBS-FM 18.12.01
Music Preparation
Music preparation involves the preparation of printed parts and scores from the composer's score for musicians to play from in rehearsal and recording sessions. I was also as Orchestral Manager, Composer's Assistant and Production Manager for film recording sessions where I scheduled and managed the flow of recording.
I used Finale, Sibelius, Mosaic and have some knowledge of Logic Audio and Pro Tools.
Film / TV
The Beatitudes, a music theatre work composed by Sandy Evans with lyrics written by Nigel Jamieson 2006
Australian Guild of Screen Composers Awards 2005
Unfolding Florence (dir Gillian Armstrong) Aus 2005
The Fine Art Of Love (dir John Irvin) UK 2005
Art of War (dir John Hughes) Aus 2005
Empire Falls (dir Fred Schepisi) USA 2005
Re-orchestrated songs for the Australian band George from the album Unity for MusicMax TV Aus 2004
Human Touch (dir Paul Cox) Aus 2004
Jessica (dir Peter Andrikidis) Aus 2004
The Widower (dir Kevin Lucas) Aus 2003
It Runs In The Family (dir Fred Schepisi) USA 2002
Music Theatre / Recording
Katie Noonan solo album, string arrangements by Paul Grabowsky 2006
Meet Me In The Middle Of The Air Paul Kelly, Paul Grabowsky, Vika & Linda Bull, Australian Art Orchestra and Choir 2006
I protest! Robyn Archer, Paul Grabowsky and The Agitators 2005
Passion (new arrangements), Australian Art Orchestra 2005
Kura Tungar: Stories from the River Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach with the Australian Art Orchestra 2004
Ruby's Story Ruby Hunter & Archie Roach with the Australian Art Orchestra 2004
Before Time Could Change Us Katie Noonan, Scott Tinkler with Paul Grabowsky Trio 2003
Tales Of Time And Space Paul Grabowsky Quintet 2003
The Goat and Honour Melbourne Theatre Company 2003
Big Adventure Paul Grabowsky Trio 2003