You can find some of my choral compositions at CPDL
Completed on the 4th of January 1989, this piece was written for David Smith. It was performed by David Smith (flute) and myself (piano) as part of the school play at Melbourne High School that year.
Download: PDF full score, PDF flute part, and MP3
(recording of performance by David Smith and Michael Winikoff as part of the Melbourne High School, school play Plays and Players II, 1989).
This is the second movement of the flute sonata (September 1989). The flute plays a gentle melody above a rippling harp-like figure from the piano.
Download: PDF score.
Completed on 18 December 1989, this is an early work showing the use of tension and dramatic form. The first movement conforms (perhaps too strictly?) to sonata form. The second movement is, interestingly, dramatic, rather than quiet and soothing.
Download:
Completed in 1990, this is a short gentle piece which uses sparse textures, and gentle dissonance. It would probably sound good on a harp.
Download: PDF score; MIDI file
I've finally gotten around to typesetting Lament, as premierred by the Melbourne University Choral Society back in 1994 and also performed by the Australian National University Choral Society later that year. Lament is text-less, something which in retrospect was a mistake - consonants are important for singers.
Lament was performed on Saturday 8th October 1994, by the Melbourne University Choral Society, conducted by Andrew Wailes; and on Friday 9th December 1994, by the ANU (Australian National University) Choral Society, conducted by Trish Shaw.
Download: PDF score, MIDI, and MP3 recording (recording is of the MUCS performance, at Twentieth century lament, 8th October 1994).
Also available on CPDL.
Set for: A capella choir (ATBaB)
This piece shows an unusually strong early music influence. It is intended for a chamber choir, and, in order to obtain a darker sound ("De Profundis" - out of the deep) does not use a soprano part.
Set for: a capella choir (SSATBaB)
This piece was begin in July 1995, but was never completed. It was written in collaboration with Leanne Veitch.
For piano and SATB. Based on a poem by Wilfred Owen (1893-1918).
Download: original PDF score, and MIDI, and the NEW revised score (PDF).
Also available on CPDL.
Set for: a capella choir (SATBaB)
This is a slightly longer (around 20 minutes) piece for a capella choir based on T. S. Eliot's poem of the same name.
The Hollow Men was premierred on Saturday 5th September 1998, by the Melbourne Chamber Choir, conducted by Faye Dumont. A friend who attended the performance sent the following comment to the Australian choral-chat mailing list:
I went along to the Melbo Chamber Choir (formerly Fay(e) Dumont Singe-ers) concert Satdy night - no! It had *nothing at all* to do with one of the basses! Nothing!
Anyway, they premiered Michael's "The Hollow Men" and all I can say is really puerile sounding stuff like "wow" and "wow" and maybe "wow"! It stayed with me for the past few days and was the most jaw-droppingly stunning thing I'd heard in a very long time indeed. Unfortunatement it wasn't recorded so if you missed it and didn't have a legit excuse like being out of the country or a previous engagement or you didn't know about it, then sucko to you with knobs on!
It was without doubt the standout piece of the evening and words fail me!
Download: You can download a PDF score. Also available are MIDI renditions of the various parts. Note that the plain chant at the start of the last section has been left out since the notes aren't hard and the MIDI rendition completely fails to capture the freedom of chant. Also, the MIDI files miss the distinction between singing, speaking, and whispering.
Completed on 8 November 1998, after a long break from composing.
This piece was written while I was living in the US (so it was actually Spring at the time). Spring is set for solo piano and should be performed with rubato.
Download:
As part of the general cleaning associated with moving house I found this piece as an incomplete sketch on paper. I typeset and completed it. Although it began life as a serial (12 tone) piece, it quickly moves away from serialism. This piece also demonstrates that a piece can be (partly) serial without being atonal.
Download: PDF score
Based on a poem by Shelley. This work began when a friend asked me to write something for her (Soprano) and a friend (Flute). This was written on the morning of Saturday the 9th of October (1999).
Download: PDF score
For a capella SATB choir (arranged 25 October 1999).
Jerusalem, the well known words by William Blake, with tune by Parry, is often sung by AICSA choirs, however, it is rather boring in unison. This arrangement is suitable for a concert, as it uses a few more interesting harmonies, and has different settings for the two verses.
Also available on CPDL.
For a capella SATB choir, composed 8-9 January 2000.
One of my perpetual new year's resolutions is to compose more. Often this seems to result in a number of pieces written early in the year; sadly, followed by little in the remainder of the year. Alleluia was written early in 2000. A setting of the word "Alleluia", it shows some Russian influences in the setting, most particular, in the five syllable pronunciation chosen: al-li-lu-i-ya. This was subsequently arranged for SSAB choir
When RMIT Occasional Choral Society (ROCS) began rehearsing Alleluia, it soon became apparent that the lack of men was going to be a problem. To solve this, I arranged Alleluia for SSAB. This arrangement is what ROCS performed. (on the 5th of May 2000 and the 26th of May 2000 - in both cases conducted by Michael Winikoff).
Download: PDF, MIDI, MP3 (Recording is of the ROCS performance, 26th May 2000. PDF score (SATB version), MIDI (SATB version)
Also available on CPDL.
Completed 19 February 2000, this setting of text by Walt Whitman (1819-1892) has minimalistic influences.
Also available on CPDL.
Written (8-12 April, 2000) for my father (amateur violinist) and brother (amateur cellist and professional guitarist), this trio is a theme on variations on a well-known tune by Naomi Shemer.
Download: PDF score
For a capella SATB choir, composed 29th July 2001.
I've worked with Faye Dumont for a number of years now. As with many choral conductors, Faye has a number of favorite warmups. This piece is a sort of joke/tribute that brings together the various warmups. This piece is dedicated to the FDS family.
Set for: solo voice and piano
Written on the 5th of February 2002, this piece is rather a change of style for me - moving from classical to popular (in this case vaguely Jazz). Text by Leanne Veitch.
Also available on CPDL.
Written on January 6th, 2002, this is the second movement of (another) trio for my father (violin), brother ('cello) and myself (piano).
Download: PDF score
Blue Sky is a stage musical that Leanne Veitch and I were working on.
The musical is set in a dark future where workers struggle to survive, and the rich elites are finalising their plans to leave the polluted and doomed Earth for Mars ...
Three songs were completed and performed by the RMIT Occasional Choral Society (ROCS) in 2004. Subsequently, the musical was extended with a number of additional songs, and the result was performed by ROCS in 2010.
Download: Cover and notes, Score
Set for: solo voice and either piano or guitar accompaniment.
This piece (written 9th January 2005) is a lullaby for my firstborn son. When I wrote it on the piano it was in G minor, but it would be easier on the guitar in A minor or E minor.
NEW Rough recording of me singing (and improvising a couple of additional vocal parts for harmony). (MP3, 2.1 megs)
Set for: a capella ATB
The so-called Midday Madrigal Group (AKA "Operation Elevator Music") sang in the stairwell of building 10 at RMIT. This piece was written that night (15th March 2005) and is voiced for the three core members of the Computer Science vocal group - Sandra Uitdenbogerd, James Harland and myself.
These madrigals, written on the 12th and 13th of August, 2006, were inspired by madrigals that are part of the standard repertoire of the Australian University Choral Societies. All three madrigals are for three voice parts, and can be sung by a mezzo-soprano and two men; or by a mezzo, an alto, and a male. If the middle part is sung by an alto, then the male should double the low D in bar 12 of Since First.
The first madrigal, Since first, is a love song, dedicated to Leanne, who was then my wife. It should be sung gently, with bars 12 to 18 being particularly lyrical.
The second madrigal, Weep, began as being inspired by Weep O Mine Eyes, but ended up with a more biblical text, loosely based on the lamentations of Jeremiah.
The third and final madrigal, Pastime, is inspired by the well-known work attributed to Henry VIII. It adopts harmonies that suggest a medieval atmosphere, while using a rather modern alternating 3/4 and 6/8 time signature (a la Bernstein).
Download: madrigals.pdf, since.mid, weep.mid, pastime.mid.
The second movement, weep, has been revised slightly (September 2007).
Download: madrigals-v2.pdf, weep-v2.mid
Also available on CPDL.
Written in the space of two days (11-12 June 2006), this is a collection of four short pieces, one for each of the ancient elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, to be performed in that order). Although I'm not really happy with fire, and I'm not entirely happy with earth, I'm happy with air and am very happy with water.
MIDI files:
Download elements.pdf.
This piece, with text by the composer, aims to capture a little of that that is modern Australia. It is scored for an a capella SAB choir with optional tambourine. It was completed in May 2007, and submitted (under a pseudonym) to the ROCS composition competition, and won first prize.
It was premiered by ROCS on the 7th of September, 2007, and has since been performed a second time by ROCS (with brass parts by Philip Legge), and also (in an SATB version) by the Sydney Intervarsity Choral Festival, in a concert titled Visions of Australia conducted by Brett Weymark.
Download: australia.pdf, australia.mid, ThisIsAustraliaSIV.mp3: a recording of the performance by the Sydney Intervarsity Choral Festival (the SATB version: australia.pdf). Note that some of the tempi are faster than I would have preferred.
Also available on CPDL.
Set for: a capella SATB choir plus SAT semi-chorus
This is, in my opinion, one of my best pieces. It sets an original poem by Leanne Veitch.
Download: Deconstruct-v2.pdf (revised score)
NEW: I've created a (more-or-less) SATB version of this piece (see the "SATB" section on this website).
This piece, for Clarinet and Piano, was written in October 2008 for a piano warming party, and was performed by Stephen Cranefield and myself.
Download: rondo.pdf, the clarinet part.
This piece is dedicated to my father, who passed away in February 2009.
This piece, completed in June 2009, and set for SATB choir and solo violin, is a setting of the priestly blessing that my father read every Friday to bless his children:
The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious
The Lord life up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
(There are a number of translations of this text).
The setting incorporates the text in both English and Hebrew (click here for an audio of the Hebrew pronunciation). It also includes a violin, representing both my father's violin playing, and, in the closing bars of the work, the soul finding peace.
Download: blessing.pdf.
Set for: a capella SATTBB choir with a small soprano solo
Another setting of an original poem by Leanne Veitch. This one is about a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
Download: PDF score.
Set for: a capella two part choir plus mezzo/kazoo solo
A micro-oratorio, submitted to the 2010 ROCS Composition Competition.
Download: Score.
Set for: a capella three male voices
An arrangement of the well-known song.
This is a setting of original text by Leanne Daharja Veitch.
The setting is somewhat folk-like in feel, and has a light texture.
Download: PDF score.
Performance: MP3, performed by Collegium Musicum at The University of Texas at Austin (April 26 & 27, 2019, at the University Presbyterian Church, Austin TX), conducted by Rachel Davis.
Originally written (back in 2008) for SATB choir and SAT semi-chorus, I've recently created an SATB version of this, so it can be done by smaller groups that aren't able to subdivide into two choirs.
Technically it's not quite SATB: there are a few small solos, and some divisi.
Download: PDF score.
Back in August, after a snow day, my son asked "why don't you write a piece about snow?". So here it is!
The text, by American poet Sara Teasdale evokes light, flight, and a certain whimsical longing, which I've attempted to capture in a setting that has a light texture, and frequent subtle harmonic shifts.
Download: PDF score.
A setting of the biblical creation story, along with other selected biblical text.
Download: PDF score.
A setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti.
This piece was inspired by recent world events, specifically a number of violent attacks. I am mindful of the quotation from Leonard Bernstein: "This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before." This piece aims to be cathartic. My hope is that by expressing the grief and pain, we can then go on living without giving in to fear, anger, or hate.
Download: PDF score.
Performance: MP3, performed by Collegium Musicum at The University of Texas at Austin (April 26 & 27, 2019, at the University Presbyterian Church, Austin TX), conducted by Rachel Davis.
Set for: SA (with some divisi) and Strings.
This piece was commissioned by the 69th Intervarsity Choral Festival, on the theme of "Light the Dark".
The third part, Lux, could also be done on its own, as could the fourth part, Hope.
Download: PDF score. String parts available upon request.
This is the third part of Lamentations, Light, and Hope, set for a cappella SSAA.
Download: PDF score; also available for SATB and TTBB.
This piece was written in (I think) late 2017. I had visited Skopje, and heard some Macedonian music in a 7/8 rhythm. My partner (then girlfriend, now wife) suggested I might want to write something following this rhythm. This piece, which is dedicated to her, is the result. It was sung at our wedding.
Download: PDF score.
A setting of a Slovenian poem by Josip Murn. This piece is dedicated to Julija Sardelić.
Download: score with English transliteration or in the original Slovenian.
Performance: MP3, performed by Collegium Musicum at The University of Texas at Austin (April 26 & 27, 2019, at the University Presbyterian Church, Austin TX), conducted by Rachel Davis.
This piece, setting original text by Stephen "Gilligan" Drane, has an interesting story.
ROCS was planning a concert about the internet, and Stephen, who was visiting Dunedin, had the idea to write some text about pre-internet communication media: pigeons, horse-carried mail, and the telegraph. The text finishes, setting the stage nicely for the internet, with: "long range communication at one point had us vexed, and now I sit and wonder, what will we think of next?".
The musical setting speeds up with each section (mirroring the speed of communication), and the accompaniment in each section mirrors the communication medium (flying pigeons, galloping horses, and dots and dashes). Bonus: the dots and dashes accompaniment carries hidden messages.
Download: PDF score, or original noteflight score.
This setting of a poem by Federico García Lorca is dedicated to Julija.
It is set for solo (male) voice, tenors, basses, and a guitar. It could also be performed with just the solo voice and guitar (leaving out the TB parts), or with one voice per part, or with three choral parts (T, Ba, B). However, in order to balance with the guitar, the choir should not be too large (or too loud).
Download: PDF score.
This piece sets text by Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (1898-1936), and is dedicated to my wife, Julija. It was performed by ROCS in October 2019.
Download: PDF.
This composition is intended to be able to be performed live over video conferencing, i.e. to work despite small variable delays in each singer's sound reaching the others. It sets the Latin text "De Profundis" (just these words), along with the English translation of the whole phrase ("Out of the deep have I called unto you O Lord") - at the end I also added the words "I hope".
Download PDF or go to the Noteflight score
This is a lullaby that I wrote for my younger son
Download: PDF score, or noteflight score
This is a lullaby that I wrote for my younger daughter
Download: PDF score, or noteflight score