Love Stories

Abstract

Research BackgroundThis project is alarge-scale cross-platform research collaboration involvingmyself, contemporaryensemble Topology and journalist/film-maker Trent Dalton. My role in this project was as creative instigator, performer and guitar specialist consultant working with Topology’s composers. Love Stories combines documentary film with live new music to create a unique project defying categorisation and broadening the reach of classical music to a wider audience. The project has been developed over 4 years, from initial brainstormingand explorationin 2014to the final version being performed in August 2018.

Research ContributionThis socially driven project based onfilmedinterviews of homeless people, explored how live new music can strengthen a documentary film, adding not only a strong element of emotion to support the film, but also acting as an interlude, challenging the audience to reflect more deeply on the film’s content in between the interviews. Research in this area is vital in the current climate of multi-media performances. This is ahighly original project in its conception, and it also resulted in the creation and performance of 60 mins of new music. I worked closely with the composers helping them to write for the guitar. The work was then rehearsed and performed live in two prestigious festivals with the filmin 2015. Based on feedback from the initial performances the film was further edited, the guitar part was modified and the music was rehearsed very closely in conjunction with the film, culminatingin the August 2018 performance of this work at Sydney’s City Recital Hall as part of the Extended Play Festival of New Music.A new skill I personally acquired in these performances was the use of a click-track in rehearsal and live performance, to align the music precisely with the film.

Research Significance Peer review is evidenced by the fact that the project was presentedas part of the Queensland Music Festival with two performances at New Farm Cinema in July 2015.It was also invited to the Darwin Festival in August 2015 and its final versionpremiered at the Extended Play Festivalat City Recital Hallin Sydney on August 25th, 2018. It was presented with a large screen creating a cinemabackdropto an audience of some 900 people, with the music performed live on stage in front of the screen.Major national media reviews are to be found here: https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/extended-play-city-recital-hall/ https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/extended-play-seriously-good-music/news-story/62ed031254c7dcb389ec46ba499dfc31