Chamber

Solo

Three Rainy Day Preludes

for piano

2006

Three short piano works aimed at young, advanced, students. The second piece in the set, “Rainy Day”, was selected as part of the UNISA Jazz Syllabus in 2013 and was one of the most examined works for that grade level.

The three pieces have distinct moods which are seated in traditional forms namely, a prelude, binary-form and a gigue.

Light Drizzle

Rainy Day (in a jazz style)

Rain Dance

Prelude Nº1

for piano

2008

Prelude Nº2

for piano

2014

Prelude Nº3

for piano

2015

Impressions

for viola

2012

Four movements for solo viola. In 2012 I embarked on a study to extend my compositional vocabulary. The exercise was designed to use this found vocabulary firstly in a solo work and to continue developing it through larger forms.

This work for solo viola is the result of those early studies, and formed the basis of many of my compositions going forward.

Duo

Tanzanite

for flute and piano

2011

In 2011 the SAMRO Foundation commissioned a new work to be part of a collection for young wind players. The goal of the commissioned series was to have pieces for young, advanced performers to include in concerts or competitions.

Tanzanite is a blue/purple gemstone which can only be found in Tanzania, and nowhere else in the world. When it is found, in its rough state, it is usually a reddish brown colour. It requires an artificial heat of up to 600C to bring out its blue violet colour. It is found mostly in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. “Tanzanite” was inspired my journeys to Tanzania.

Two Piéces

for violin and piano

2015

Nº1, Lyric piéce, and Nº2, Messiaen, were commissioned by Viara Markova for her advanced violin students to submit challenging works for competition.

Lyric piéce explores the melodic capabilities of the violin while Messiaen uses modes of limited transposition for those students who prefer quicker notes under the fingers 

Sonata Nº1

for cello and piano

2013

The sonata for cello and piano was commissioned by South African cellist Berthine van Schoor through the SAMRO Endowment for the National Arts. Berthine and I had had many collaborations prior to this engagement and over time we formed a friendship that led to this piece. The Sonata is performed in three movements in the traditional fast-slow-fast classical model.

The first movement centers itself around a harmonic structure that I explored over a few years. The concept is based on the premise that an augmented triad has three possible major resolutions, and to use those resolutions simultaneously. The movement unfolds in a fantasy-like style rather than traditional sonata form.

Berthine has made many trips to India and I made the journey myself in 2012. We would discuss at length our love for the country and so in the second movement I incorporated a theme from another work that was based on my own trip to India.

The final movement is a kind of Rondo based on the same harmonic structures as the first movement and in a sense is in the style of a tarantella.

Trio

Trio Lamentation

for cor anglais, cello and piano

2009

Trio Lamentation was written for the SAMRO 2010 Composition Competition. The work marks a departure point in my modality and would become the basis of tonality of future works for the next 10 years.

First performed in the final round of the competition, the work was part of the port-folio that received First Prize

Trio Nº4

for flute, oboe

and clarinet in Bb

2013

Commissioned by Hilary Mohr in early 2013 this trio explored a new departure from previous works. The goal was to employ a new harmonic language distilled into horizontal lines for each player, compounded by the use of trio instrumentalists.

In three movements, the trio was inspired by the poem “As Kingfishers catch fire…” by Hopkins. The opening movement deals with the imagery from the first stanzas while the third movement reflects on Hopkins’ personal spiritual beliefs.

The work received First Prize in the inaugural Stefans Grové Composers Competition in South Africa and later became the compulsory Masters requirement work at the Pedua Conservatory, Italy.

Quartet

Horn Quartet Nº1

for four french horns in F

2013

Neil Smit commissioned this work in 2013 as part of his ongoing investigation into new works for Horn for his Masters Thesis at the University of Stellenbosch.

In three movements, this non-programmatic works offers all four players an opportunity to display individual dexterity.

This commission was funded in part by the Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Program of the International Horn Society

Saxophone Quartet

for saxophone quartet

2005

Written for the New Music Indaba 2005 and premiered by the Stockholm Saxophone Quartet in the same year

String Quartet Nº1

for violins, viola and cello

2013

Pending

String Quartet Nº2

for violins, viola and cello

2014

for Eva and Klara

 

String Quartet Nº3

for violins, viola and cello

2015

Messitweet

The Signum Quartet commissioned a number of works based on the total number of characters possible in a Tweet, 140.

These short works, snippets, were designed to compliment a complete performance by offering bite size chunks of music, the size being reflective of our modern time where we are used to absorbing countless bits of information

Quintet

Brass Quintet Nº1

for trumpets, horn, trombone & tuba

2005

One of my earliest compositions, this adagio single movement work explores the expressive and sonorous qualities of the brass quintet

Brass Quintet Nº2

for trumpets, horn, trombone & tuba

2008

Written for the wedding of my friends Simone and Gordon Brown, Let a Joy keep you is celebratory piece for their auspicious occasion 

Lowo Nyaka

for mixed ensemble & tape

2016

Lowo Nyaka was commissioned by the Johannesburg International Mozart Festival 2016.  The work responds to the poetry of South African, Stembiso Khwela, depicting the loss of life in the Soweto Youth Day riots of 1976.

Fl./Picc., Ob./Alt.Sx., Bb Cl./Bb B.Cl., Ten., Perc, Marimba & Tape 

 

Oboe Quintet Nº1

for oboe & string quartet

2018

Cagn endeavours to depict the South African landscape using sound colours that allude to the Khoi-San.  A homage to my mentor Peter Louis van Dijk, these gestures are achieved by making use of extended techniques in the stringed instruments.  According to San mythology Cagn (Kaang) is the supreme god of the San and creator of the world.  He has the ability to transform himself into various creatures but mostly takes the form of a praying mantis.

The form of the work is a theme and variations.  Just as Cagn was a trickster in the spiritual realm of the San, so is this piece.  The work begins with the last variation working forwards towards the theme, which is heard at the end rather then in its traditional place at the beginning.

Sextet

Composition

For instrument

20–

Commissioned by the Grant Foundation, Pianist Charl du Plessis First performed this work in the 2005 Aardklop Festival. Suitable for young pianists

Septet

Septet Nº1

for string sextet and cor anglais

2009

A Tree Within was premiered in 2009 at the Grahamstown National Arts Festival Fringe.

Based on a poem by Octavio Paz on the same title, the work features the Cor Anglais as soloist with the sextett. 

Septet Nº2

for reed quintet, marimba

& percussion

2023

In progress

Octet