2022
POW Requiem
Saturday October 29, 1PM, Llewellyn Hall, Canberra
More than 30,000 Australians became prisoners of war (POWs) between 1940 and 1945. The majority of them were imprisoned during the Pacific War in camps throughout Japanese-occupied territories. Over 8000 of these POWs died in captivity, which represents 20% of all Australian deaths in WWII. The Flowers of Peace wishes to further reconcile this raw and painful history, using powerful music and imagery, to acknowledge the past and help repair this wound.
Christopher Latham OAM, Director of Flowers of Peace, says the POW Requiem is a unique musical event steeped in history. “The work is essentially a response to Sandakan; how to forgive the unforgiveable.”
“From the Women’s Vocal Orchestra who sang to unite and raise internees spirits, made famous by Bruce Beresford’s film Paradise Road, to the Changi Songbook, created to give captives hope, we will perform the music created by prisoners and internees.”
Australia’s leading composers, Sir Jonathan Mills, Elena Kats-Chernin AO, Graeme Koehne AO, Andrew Schultz, Cyrus Meurant and Ross Edwards AM, along with British composers Paul Carr and Paul Mealor have created the POW Requiem to tell these stories.
Renowned performers such as Susannah Lawergren, Andrew Goodwin, Dr Riley Lee, Tobias Cole, Alice Giles AM and Dr Edward Neeman, as well as the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Australian Defence Force musicians and Choirs will tell stories of Australian POWs in Europe, the Fall of Singapore, the use of POW and Asian forced labourers, the construction of the Thai Burma Railroad, and local stories around the internment of German, Italian and Japanese civilians in Australia.
“The concert ends by telling the history of Japanese-Australian reconciliation – how a handful of individuals moved to restore relations between our two countries and in doing so built a legacy that still stands today.” Christopher says. The concert follows in their slipstream.
The Crossing of a Sea for chamber ensemble
Syzygy Ensemble
at Arts Mildura Hub
Saturday October 29, 7:30PM
Past Performances
2022
New dance work Au revoir mon ami, presented by the National Youth Ballet Company.
Ritournelle for vibraphone and piano
Featuring Claire Edwardes and Ben Kopp
Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Sydney, Saturday August 13, 8PM
Presented by Ensemble Offspring as part of Seymour Nights 2022 – Techno Play
Experience world premieres from Nicole Lizée (Canada) and Christopher Fox (UK), plus new Australian classics from Cyrus Meurant and Kate Moore and strikingly original solo and duo interpretation of scores from more living legends Caroline Shaw (USA), Thomas Adès (UK), and Karen Tanaka (USA/ Japan).
To whom I may concern
Australian Chamber Orchestra in collaboration with Group Homes Australia, University of New South Wales and Dementia Australia
The Neilson, Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay, Sydney, Wednesday July 27, 2:30 PM
Maja Savnik Violin
Aiko Goto Violin
Beth Condon Viola
Julian Thompson Cello
Cyrus Meurant Piano and Musical Director
Music selections from: String Quartet, Stray Birds and Monday to Friday
The Crossing of a Sea for chamber ensemble
Syzygy Ensemble
75 Reid St, Thursday, July 7, 7:30 PM
Presented as part of the Leaps and Bounds Festival
75 Reid Street, Fitzroy North, VIC, 3068
Ritournelle for vibraphone and piano
Featuring Claire Edwardes and Alex Raineri
The Crossing of a Sea
for chamber ensemble
Commissioned by Mark Wakely in loving memory of Steven Alward
Presented by Melbourne Recital Centre and Syzygy Ensemble
Syzygy Ensemble
Laila Engle flutes
Robin Henry clarinet
Campbell Banks cello
Leigh Harrold piano
Zoë Black violin
Thursday 24 March 2022 6pm
Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre
31 Sturt Street
Melbourne, Victoria
3006 Australia
The Fall of Singapore
presented as part of
The Triumph of the Imagination
Chris Latham from the Flowers of Peace project will direct Musica da Camera in a program of music written by and for prisoners of war. Featuring pianists Edward and Stephanie Neeman along with soprano saxophone player, Jaime Grech. The music will be accompanied by images of prisoners of war.
Saturday 26 March 2022 2:30 pm
Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture
15 Blackall St, Barton ACT 2600
New work with the National College of Dance
Saturday 5 February 2022 (Rescheduled from December 2021)
Civic Theatre Newcastle
Cyrus Meurant violin and piano
2021
Four Songs
for choir
I. ‘Evening’ and II. ‘Moon’
Based on the poems of Matsuo Basho and William Blake
All through an empty place I go
for flute and bassoon
Commissioned by Kingsley Gee
WORLD PREMIERE
Kiran Phatak Flute
Matthew Kneale Bassoon
as part of Arcadia Winds at the Blackheath Chamber Music Festival
Presented in association with Musica Viva Australia
Saturday April 24th 2:30pm
Philips Hall
41 Gardiner Crescent
Blackheath, New South Wales
All through an empty place I go
for flute and bassoon
Commissioned by Kingsley Gee
PREVIEW
Kiran Phatak Flute
Matthew Kneale Bassoon
Friday April 23rd 6:30pm
Arcadia Winds at Orange Regional Conservatorium
Presented in association with Musica Viva Australia
73A Hill Street
Orange, NSW 2800
Three Pieces
for flute, clarinet and bassoon
David Shaw Flute
Lloyd Van’t Hoff Clarinet
Matthew Kneale Bassoon
as part of the Orange Chamber Music Festival – Festival Winds
Sunday April 11th 11:00am
Orange Uniting Church
217 Anson Street
Orange, New South Wales
Four Pieces
for soprano saxophone and electric organ
James Nightingale Soprano Saxophone
Ben Kopp Electric Organ
as part of Avant Gardens 1: Ave – Ensemble Offspring
Saturday February 6th 5:00pm
Ashfield (Sydney), 2131
2020
Or, maybe, yesterday
for Solo Violin
Lucy Macourt Solo Violin
as part of Reflections for Solo Violin
Wednesday August 19th 12:40pm (2020)
Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest, Canberra, Australia
Or, maybe, yesterday
for Solo Violin
WORLD PREMIERE
Lucy Macourt Solo Violin
as part of Australian Miniseries presented by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Friday August 14th 6:45 pm (2020)
Dance No. 2 from KLASH
David Rowden Solo Bass Clarinet
Premiere of new arrangement of ‘Dance No. 2 from KLASH’ for solo bass clarinet at Phoenix Central Park.
Live on facebook or at YouTube
Thursday June 4th 7pm (2020)
Monuments
for Oboe and Drones
Ben Opie Oboe and electronics
Live on Zoom (private performance)
See Inventi Ensemble: Website and facebook
Thursday May 31st (2020)
When I stand before thee at the day’s end
for Solo Violin and Strings
WORLD PREMIERE
Kirsten Williams Director and Violin
as part of Love, Kindness and Decency presented by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
Thursday March 12th 6:30 pm (2020)
Gordon Darling Hall, National Portrait Gallery – Canberra, Australia
Matthew Hindson AM Curator
Triptych
for chamber ensemble
at Winter Lounge
Wednesday January 15th 7:30 pm
Das Institut für Kunst, Musik und ihre Vermittlung
Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Germany
Rebecca Lang Universitätsmusikdirektorin
2019
CYRUS MEURANT ENSEMBLE – EP Launch
Thursday December 12th 8:00 pm
The Sound Lounge, Seymour Centre, Sydney
Composer Cyrus Meurant (violin and keyboards) returns to the Sound Lounge with his ensemble of musicians to launch the new 10-inch vinyl EP, Four Pieces.
Featuring Andrew Smith (saxophones), Michael Bardon (cello), Nicky Crowe (flute and piccolo), Tim Brigden (vibraphone) and Novita Jap (keyboards), Meurant will present selections from the critically acclaimed works, Monday to Friday and Le Petit Prince (Australian premiere), alongside the score of Pars Pro Toto.
The evening will conclude with the world premiere of selections from a new amplified ensemble composition kindly supported by the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation.
_____
MALÝ PRINC (Le Petit Prince)
Choreography by Margaux Thomas
Music by Cyrus Meurant
Directed by Macbeth Kaněra
Based on Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Malé divadlo – DIVADLO F. X. ŠALDY LIBEREC, Czech Republic
Cyrus Meurant – violin
Maxim Biriucov – piano
Previous Shows (2019):
Saturday December 14th 5:00 pm SOLD OUT
Saturday September 14th SOLD OUT
Sunday June 2nd SOLD OUT
Monday June 3rd SOLD OUT
Sunday February 24th SOLD OUT
Previous Shows (2018):
Friday February 16th SOLD OUT
Wednesday February 28th SOLD OUT
Thursday March 22nd SOLD OUT
Tuesday May 15th SOLD OUT
Saturday June 2nd SOLD OUT
Tuesday September 18th SOLD OUT
Tuesday December 11th SOLD OUT
Monuments
for Oboe and Drones
Diana Doherty Soloist
as part of Renewal presented by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra
SOLD OUT
Thursday October 31st 6:30 pm
Gordon Darling Hall, National Portrait Gallery – Canberra, Australia
Zephira Quintet
Matthew Hindson AM Curator
Challis Bequest Society Lunch
Invitation only
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Cyrus Meurant performs solo piano selections from Monday to Friday.
Keynote speaker: Associate Professor Muireann Irish
Muireann Irish is Associate Professor of Psychology at the Brain and Mind Centre, where she leads the Memory and Imagination in Neurological Disorders team. As a cognitive neuroscientist, she seeks to understand how the brain enables us to remember the past and imagine the future, and how these processes are affected in dementia. Her current work also explores the relationship between music and memory.
In recognition of her scientific achievements, Associate Professor Irish was awarded the 2016 NSW Premier’s Prize for Early Career Researcher of the Year, and named one of L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science’s International Rising Talents in 2015.
Wednesday 23 October 2019
The Great Hall
The University of Sydney
Curtain-raiser
Collaboration with Alleyne Dance (UK) to curtain raise ‘A Night’s Game’
Thursday September 5th 7:45pm
Lennox Theatre, Riverside Parramatta
Music by Cyrus Meurant (electric violin)
Choreography by Kristina and Sadé Alleyne
Presented by FORM Dance Projects and Riverside Theatres
Toured by Dance Makers Collective (Australia)
Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards
Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, Singapore
Wednesday May 15th
Cyrus Meurant – piano
‘Monday III’ from Monday to Friday
Apollo’s Gift: Music and the Mind
Eckart Altenmüller – Flute, Speaker
Sally Walker – Flute
Natalia Tkachenko – Piano
Cyrus Meurant – Piano
PROGRAM
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Trio in B flat Wq.161/2
Cyrus Meurant From Monday to Friday
Eckart Altenmüller Talk about the beneficial effects of music on our wellbeing, emotionality and the brain
Elena Kats-Chernin Apollo’s Gift (commissioned by Sally Walker)
J.J. Quantz’s Trio Sonata in A minor QV 2:40
Tuesday March 19th 2019, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Larry Sitsky Recital Room
ANU School of Music
William Herbert Place
Canberra, ACT 2601
2018
Concertino
for Clarinet and String Quartet
as part of Triple Concerto
Thursday October 25th 6:30pm
Gordon Darling Hall, National Portrait Gallery – Canberra, Australia
Omega Ensemble
David Rowden – clarinet
Veronique Serret – violin
Airena Nakamura – violin
Neil Thompson – viola
Paul Stender – cello
HERAKLEITOS
WORLD PREMIERE
LAEISZHALLE HAMBURG, KLEINER SAAL, June 9th, 19:30
Vessel
as part of:
The Lark Ascending
ACO Collective
15 – 24 MARCH 2018
PROGRAM
CYRUS MEURANT Vessel for String Orchestra World Premiere*
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (arr. Adam Johnson) The Lark Ascending
PURCELL Fantasia Upon One Note
BRITTEN (arr. David Matthews) String Quartet No.2
*Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra
ARTISTS
Pekka Kuusisto Director & Violin
ACO Collective
Queens Park Theatre – Geraldton
Thu 15 Mar 7pm
Goldfields Arts Centre – Kalgoorlie
Fri 16 Mar 7pm
Mandurah Arts Centre
Sat 17 Mar 7pm
Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre
Tue 20 Mar 7pm
Margaret River Cultural Centre
Thu 22 Mar 7:30pm
Albany Entertainment Centre
Sat 24 Mar 7:30pm
Two Traditional Turkish Songs
as part of
Adelaide Festival
Compassion: Chamber Landscapes
Curated by Iain Grandage
PROGRAM
Bach (arr Bowman) ’Erbame Dich’
Tinalley String Quartet
Taryn Fiebig, Soprano
Arvo Pärt Fratres
Tinalley String Quartet
Sarisözen (arr. Meurant) Çannakale Türküsü
Mehveş Hanim (arr. Meurant) Kaçsam Bırakıp Senden Uzak Yollara Gitsem
Tinalley String Quartet
Taryn Fiebig, Soprano
Daniel de Borah, Piano
Claire Edwardes, Percussion
Lior/Westlake Compassion
Lior, Voice
Tinalley String Quartet
Daniel de Borah, Piano
Claire Edwardes, Percussion
Andrew Meisel, Bass
Friday, March 9th, 7:30pm
UKARIA Cultural Centre,
119 Williams Rd, Mount Barker Summit
(Formerly Ngeringa Cultural Centre)
2017
Monuments
Performed by Ben Opie (oboe)
as part of
Lunchtime Recital with Marshall McGuire and Ben Opie
Tuesday 28th November 1pm
MPavillion
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
All things come into being and pass away
Performed by Momentum Ensemble conducted by Ariel Zuckermann
as part of
Three Places
Sunday 3rd September 1:30pm
High Court of Australia
Canberra, Australia
and
Three Places
Monday 4th September 6:30pm
The Gallery
Melbourne, Australia
Monday to Friday (selections)
Performed by Sally Walker (flute) and Sally Whitwell (piano)
as part of
Twilight Musical Dialogues – Celebrating the Diversity of Australia
Friday 15th September 7pm
Adamstown Uniting Church
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Monuments
Performed by Ben Opie (oboe)
as part of
Inventi Ensemble – House of Beehives
Monday 2nd October 6pm
Melbourne Recital Centre
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Monday to Friday (selections)
Performed by Sally Walker (flute) and Cyrus Meurant (piano)
as part of
Music and the Mind
Saturday 10th June 1pm
Newcastle Conservatorium of Music
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Concertino for clarinet and string quartet
Performed by David Rowden and Omega Ensemble
as part of
Songs from the Bush
Saturday 7th May 2:30pm
The Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Further details and tickets
2016
As Time Goes By
NEW DANCE WORK
presented by The National College of Dance
Saturday 10th December 6:30pm – Civic Theatre Newcastle
Artistic Direction by Brett Morgan
Music by Cyrus Meurant
Musicians:
Andrew Smith (saxophones)
Michael Bardon (cello)
Jess Ciampa (percussion)
Jordan Wett (piano)
Cyrus Meurant (violin)
Monuments for oboe and drones
Performed by Ben Opie
as part of
Urban Gypsies – Works for Oboe & Electronics
Saturday 1st October 11am
The Australasian Double Reed Society Conference, Sydney Grammar School Theatre
Sydney, NSW, Australia
2015
Reflections on Gallipoli
Australian Chamber Orchestra
BARTÓK String Quartet No.2: Allegro molto capriccioso
KELLY Elegy for strings ‘In Memoriam Rupert Brooke’
SARISÖZEN (arr. Meurant) Ҫannakale Türküsü
VINE Soliloquy (world premiere)
TRADITIONAL (arr. Meurant) Ceddin Deden
ELGAR Sospiri, Op.70
KODALLI Adagio for String Orchestra
MEHVEŞ HANIM (arr. Meurant) Kaçsam Bırakıp Senden Uzak Yollara Gitsem
TRADITIONAL (arr. Meurant) Nihavend Longa
VINE Our Sons (world premiere)
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS The Lark Ascending
Richard Tognetti Director & Violin
Neil Armfield Director
Nigel Jamieson Deviser
Sean Bacon Video Designer
Matthew Cox Lighting Designer
Taryn Fiebig Soprano
Yalin Ozucelik Actor
Nathaniel Dean Actor
2014
Wild Life presented by the National College of Dance with new solo violin music composed and performed by Cyrus Meurant.
Triptych for chamber ensemble
presented by Post-Sonus Orchestra, directed by John Smigielski
as part of: “An Evening of Contemporary Musick”
Thursday 8th May 7:30pm
Ciminelli Recital Hall, Buffalo State College.
Buffalo, New York, USA
Program includes works by Cage and Oliveros.
CAPTIVATE & Ars Musica Australis Presents
2013
KLASH
Performed by The National College of Dance, Artistic Director Brett Morgan
Choreography by Brett Morgan, Alfred Taahi, and Debbie Ellis-Linnert
Music by Cyrus Meurant
Musicians:
Michael Bardon (cello)
Michael Duke (saxophones)
Alison Pratt (percussion)
Cyrus Meurant (electric violin)
Morley Centre, Westmead Education Precinct
Thursday December 5th 2013 10am and 12pm
Friday December 6th 2013 10am and 12pm
Pars Pro Toto
as part of Big Dance in Small Chunks
This is the premiere performance of the Dance Makers Collective.
Dates & Times:
8:00pm, Wednesday 23 October 2013
12.30pm, Thursday 24 October 2013
8:00pm, Thursday 24 October 2013
8:00pm, Friday 25 October 2013
8:00pm, Saturday 26 October 2013
Tickets: Adult $28, Conc. $25*
Ritournelle for Vibraphone and Piano
A live broadcast presented by Marian Arnold for ABC Classic FM
SUNDAY LIVE
Sunday 16th June 3:00pm
Eugene Goossens Hall ABC Centre, Sydney
Claire Edwardes (percussion)
Bernadette Harvey (piano)
ABC Classic FM – Sunday Live – Virtuoso Vibes
Eventide Visions for Flute, Clarinet and Piano
Presented by The Sydney Omega Ensemble
Sunday 21st April 3:00pm
Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room
Sydney, Australia
Musicians:
Lisa Osmialowski (flute)
David Rowden (clarinet)
Cyrus Meurant (piano)
2012
KLASH
NEW DANCE WORK
presented by The National College of Dance
Saturday 1st December 7:00pm – Civic Theatre Newcastle
Choreography by Brett Morgan, Alfred Taahi, and Debbie Ellis-Linnert
Music by Cyrus Meurant
Musicians:
Cyrus Meurant (electric violin)
Andrew Smith (saxophones)
Michael Bardon (cello)
Michael Askill (percussion)
Panorama
for flute, clarinet and cello (new arrangement)
presented by ExhAUST
Saturday 25th November 4:00pm (time and date changed due to Hurricane Sandy)
Spectrum, 121 Ludlow St
New York City, New York, USA
Triptych for chamber ensemble
presented by SIGNAL at June in Buffalo
Tuesday 5th June 4:00pm
Slee Hall, University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York, USA
The Spartans NEW DANCE WORK
presented by The National College of Dance for Arthur Bridges Gala Concert
Friday 18th May 8:00pm – Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Choreography by Brett Morgan
Music by Cyrus Meurant
Dancers:
Callan Constable, Caleb Durbin, Rory Ferguson, Rhys Kosakowski and Lawrence Lambert
Musicians:
Cyrus Meurant (violin)
Eleanor Betts (cello)
Maria Raspopova (piano)
Cyrus Meurant @ St Stephen’s
Friday 2nd March 1:00pm (2012)
Works for organ, violin and piano composed and performed by Cyrus Meurant
St Stephen’s Uniting Church, 197 Macquarie St, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Concert includes: Prelude for organ, Two Interludes for solo violin and Three Night Pieces for solo piano
Panorama for flute, violin and cello
Friday 10th February 8:00pm and Saturday 11th February 8:00 pm (2012)
Reginald Theatre, Seymour Centre, Sydney, NSW, Australia
As part of Synchronicity presented by Chronology Arts
2011
Panorama Performance in Adelaide
In-be-tween New Dance Collaboration
For more information visit: www.coreyography.org
Three Pieces for flute, clarinet and bassoon
presented by Mitchell Conservatorium Musicians
Friday 18th May 7:30pm – Grenfell Uniting Church, Grenfell
Saturday 19th May 7:30pm – St John’s Church, Forbes
Sunday 20th May 2:30pm – St Stephen’s Anglican Church, Peak Hill
Trio for viola, clarinet and piano
Premiere of a short single movement work
presented by The Mitchell Conservatorium Trio
Friday 11th November 7:00pm – Mitchell Conservatorium Lachlan Campus, Forbes
Saturday 12th November 7:30pm – Parkes Uniting Church
Sunday 13th Nov, 2:30pm – St Stephens Anglican Church, Peak Hill
Concert includes works by: Bruch, Mozart and Meurant
Constancies for saxophone and piano
Friday 7th October 1:00pm (2011)
St Stephen’s Uniting Church, 197 Macquarie St, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Andrew Smith (saxophone)
Cyrus Meurant (piano)
Concert includes works by: Scelsi and Meurant
2010
Triptych for chamber ensemble
Premiere of a new work in three movements for flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion (vibraphone + glockenspiel)
presented by Plec Sextet
Tuesday 29th June 8:30pm (2010)
Ensemblezaal, Conservatorium van Amsterdam
Oosterdokskade 151
1011 DL Amsterdam – The Netherlands
Two Pieces for flute, cello and piano
at
Elemental – Water
presented by Bridges Ensemble
Friday 9th April 6pm (2010)
Gryphon Gallery, University of Melbourne
(1888 Buidling, cnr Swanston & Grattan Sts)
Laila Engle (flute)
Lachlan Dent (cello)
Brenna Wee (piano)
Concert includes works by: Crumb, Edwards, Françaix, Meurant & Tiutiunnik.
2009
Deimos for Shakuhachi and Harp
at
Bamboo Related: A Concert of traditional, jazz and contemporary pieces for Shakuhachi
Sunday 25th October 3pm (2009)
Tufts University, Distler Performance Hall – Granoff Music Centre, Medford MA 02155 – USA
Elizabeth Reian Bennet performs with Special Guests:
Cathleen Read & Tomoko Graham (koto specialists)
Mihoko Abbe (piano)
Fanziska Huhn (harp)
Cyrus Meurant 