The small ensemble of Αγάπη (Agapi) and other kinds of love: Luka Lesson (voice, author), Greta Kelly (violin, Shah Kaman, Theremini, voice), and Ella Fence (synths, sampler, laptop, voice).
Αγάπη (Agapi) and other kinds of love (Music Theatre/Hip-Hop/Intercultural Art)
Premiered at the National Museum of Australia, April 2022 Concert blurb: Experience Agapi & Other Kinds of Love by renowned Greek-Australian poet and rapper Luka Lesson. Accompanied by cinematic scores and hip-hop numbers composed by Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s James Humberstone, this soulful performance will ignite your heart. Agapi & Other Kinds of Love tells the story of…
Keep readingCycles&Circles (2012)
Two pitched percussion instruments, any bass instrument. JamesHumbers · Cycles & Circles (two percussionists and bass instrument, performed by Ensemble Offspring) Commissioned by Ensemble Offspring for their Music to Infinity tour. In his programme notes, Damien Ricketson wrote: Cycles and Circles by Australian composer James Humberstone has been especially commissioned for this concert. The work is a welcome…
Keep readingConcertino for Double Bass (2010)
Double Bass and small String Orchestra, but piano reduction is available for the second and third movements. Commissioned by MLC School for Aurora Henrich. Download a sample of the score.
Keep readingKaede (2007)
Horn, Violin, Cello and Piano. A theme and variations on the traditional Japanese folk song Sakura, with additional influence from John Cage’s In a Landscape, Kaede was composed as a piece for moderate standard horn solo with advanced accompaniment: ideal as a showy solo for music exams or recitals as well as concert repertoire for this ensemble. Download…
Keep readingShe Is (2006)
Violin Duet. A jolly violin duet I composed for the processional at my wedding. Download the complete score.
Keep readingTwo Songs for Flute and Acoustic Guitar (2005)
Flute, Acoustic Guitar. Contact James for further details and a sample score.
Keep readingHiroshima (2005)
Flute, Clarinet in B flat, Violin, Cello, Piano. Commissioned and premiered by students of Caringbah High School. This piece was inspired by a moving visit to the Hiroshima memorial with my family in June 2005. Download a sample of the score
Keep readingHow Wonderful and Unexpected (2004)
Text by Robertson Fox. Choir: soprano and alto voices in three combinations (unaccompanied). I have been fortunate enough to work with poet and friend Robertson Fox on a number of works, including First of Winter which is included below. The commission for this work was specified to be a piece which was based on Christian…
Keep readingThree Moments (2004)
Flute, cello and piano. Composed for a friend who was moving to the US to study. The unison cello and flute lines were inspired by Howard Skempton’s Surface Tension – a sound I also explored in Under the Surface. Download a sample of the score.
Keep readingChance : Chants (2003)
Piano, Violin, Flute, Oboe, Mandolin, Bass Guitar. Commissioned and premiered by Plastic Atlas, Chance : Chants includes four parts of differing lengths (both physically and temporally, each being relative) which are each performed a different number of times, exploring the “phasing slowed down” idea of my String Quartet and only beginning and ending together. Within each part are a…
Keep readingPiece for Jonathan and Alexia (2002)
Piano, Chime Bars, Voices and Flutes or any other treble instruments. Contact James for further details and a sample score.
Keep readingSarah’s Piece (2001)
Oboe and any bass instrument. Contact James for further details and a sample score.
Keep readingFirst of Winter (2001)
Words by Robertson Fox. Soprano, Flute, Piano. A commission for the C21 festival in 2001, where after a few problems finalising the soprano soloist, I sang it myself an octave down. A studio recording was made soon after, featuring Michele Morgan (soprano), Geoff Collins (flute) and Andrew Robbie (piano). Robertson Fox had been kind enough…
Keep readingVerse for 8 voices or 8-part Choir (2001)
Text by Lao Tzu. SSAATTBB. A tribute to Cornelius Cardew’s Great Learning paragraphs. At the time I composed this piece I was writing my masters thesis on the music of David Ahern, and feeling Cardew’s influence as I had when I studied Skempton’s music. This piece was commissioned and premiered by the C21 festival. Download a sample…
Keep readingRopaloon (2001)
Soprano, Bass Clarinet, Drums, Double Bass. Commissioned and premiered by Michelle Morgan and the Chelate Compound (Simon Barker (drums) and Steve Elphick (bass)). A crazy, jazzy character piece, of which Lewis Carroll would almost definitely have approved. Download a sample of the score.
Keep readingString Quartet (1995)
String Quartet. One of my most frequently performed works, exploring the idea of phasing over longer periods of time than are found in the minimalist works of composers such as Steve Reich. When this piece featured at Australian Music Day in 2012, I created this short video outlining the ideas behind its composition. In addition,…
Keep readingThree Miniatures (1994)
Piano, Clarinet in B flat, Violin. Contact James for further details and a sample score.
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James Humberstone 