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