Matthew Dewey
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Matthew Ingvald Dewey (born 1984) is an Australian composer and singer.
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[edit] General Information
Matthew Dewey is an Australian composer and singer. He studied composition with Professor Douglas Knehans at the University of Tasmania and composition/theatrical design/singing with Greek-Australian composer/designer Constantine Koukias. His very early years were spent training with the IHOS Music Theatre Laboratory in all aspects of the creation of new musical-theatrical works, and this early exposure led to a career that flourished at an unusually young age. He works mostly in Australian contemporary opera/music-theatre and been involved in the premieres of more than 15 new works variously as composer, singer, orchestrator, conductor and compositional assistant. His own works include operas: "The Priest's Passion", "The Death of Chatterton" (about the life of Thomas Chatterton) both of which are based on his own librettos; various songs including two cycles utilising text of the esteemed ex-pat South African poet Anne Kellas: "Isolated States", "Notes for mount Moono" and a song suite based on Australian poet Nicholas Dewey's "Elegy"; Chamber works include two pieces written for the Seymour Group: "A Dance on Five Claps" and "Voyage" the later of which was written for the Seymour Group in conjunction with the internationally renowned bass-clarinettist Harry Sparnaay. Dewey's compositional methodology focuses on the meshing of the natural speech patterns of the English language and his lyrical and iridescent musical voice.
[edit] Awards and Scholarships
IHOS Music Theatre and Opera Young Artist Bursary (IHOS 2004)
Hobart City Council Don Kay Scholarship for Music Composition (University of Tasmania 2003)
[edit] List of works
[edit] Opera
===== The Death of Chatterton===== – A Mythography in One Act for One Man Libretto by composer on a concept by Robert Jarman, exploring the life of English poet and prodigy Thomas Chatterton. (Workshop Premiere @ Mount Nelson Studio Theatre, Hobart by IHOS Music Theatre and Opera, Conducted by composer, Directed by Robert Jarman, Performed by Christopher Richardson (Baritone) in September 2005; Recorded for ABC Classic FM by Brooke Green and broadcast in 2006) (Workshop Duration) 35’00”
===== The Priest’s Passion===== – A One-Scene Chamber Opera Libretto by composer. (Premiered @ Studio Theatre, Hobart by IHOS Music Theatre Laboratory w/ Tasmanian Conservatorium, Conducted by Jean-Louis Forestier, Directed by Robert Jarman in September 2004; Recorded for ABC Classic FM by Brooke Green for subsequent broadcast 20’00”
[edit] Solo Voice
- Insomniac – A Song for solo Baritone on the poem of the same name by Sylvia Plath. (Premiered @ Tasmanian Conservatorium by Michael Lampard on the 7/10/2005) 5’20”
- Notes for Mount Moono – Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano on a set of poems by Anne Kellas from her 1989 collection, Poems from Mt Moono, Hippogriff Press, 1989. 15’00”
- Elegy – A Song Suite for Soprano, Two Percussionists and Digital Pre-record
Based on the poem of the same name by Nicholas Dewey. (Premiered @ Maldini’s Restaurant Salamanca by Sarah Jones [Soprano] Robert Rule [Percussion 1] and composer [percussion 2] for the IHOS / Maldini’s winter Music Series, July 2004; Subsequent performance at the Tasmanian Conservatorium [same artists] October 2004) 16’00”
- Isolated States – Song Cycle for Solo Baritone and String Quartet on poems of
Anne Kellas from her 2001 collection of the same name. (Excerpts Premiered @ Tasmanian Conservatorium by the composer [Bass] and the New Music Ensemble String Quartet, October 2003) 25’00”
- To a Skylark – For Soprano and Piano. On a poem of the same name by William Wordsworth (Premiered by Sarah Jones [Sop] and Ben van Tienen [Piano] @ Mt. Nelson Theatre Hobart, February 2004; Recorded for ABC Classic FM by Brooke Green during September and Broadcast in November of 2004 [same artists]) 5’30”
[edit] Chamber
Three Contemplations – For Solo Harp in 3 movements (I Prelude, II Phantasm & III Arabesque). (Premiered by Christina Sonnemann at the Tasmanian Conservatorium Recital Hall, May 2005). 10’00”
Voyage – (Premiered @ Tasmanian Conservatorium, by the Seymour Group, Conducted by Mark Summerbell, Bass-clarinet soloist Harry Spaarnay, September 2003). 8’00”
A Dance on 5 Claps – (Premiered @ Tasmanian Conservatorium, by the Seymour Group, Conducted by Mark Summerbell, May 2003). 5’30”
Fold – For Solo Piano (Derived from the score for Gordon Cleeland’s short film “Fold” premiered in 2001). 2’40”
[edit] Choral
The Creation and Dismissal – A Cantata for Soprano and Bass-Baritone soloists, Libretto by composer, SATB Chorus and Chamber Orchestra. Completed in February 2004. (1,0,1,0), (1,1,1,0), 2 Harpsichords, (minimum strings 5,4,4,4,2) 30’00”
[edit] Incidental Music for the Theatre
Macbeth – Scored for 2 Percussionists on metal instruments, drums and piano frame. (Dir. by Robert Jarman for the Hobart Repertory Society, performed at the Playhouse Theatre (Hobart), June 2005)
The One Day of the Year – Scored for digital pre-records. (Dir. by Darren Sangwell for the Old Nick company, Performed at the Peacock Theatre (Hobart), March 2005)
Look Back in Anger (Dir. by David Walsh for Mainstage Theatre, performed at the Peacock Theatre Hobart, 2001. Sound Designer and composer Scott Hunt, Additional compositional material supplied only – Jazz Trumpet Solo.)
Lord of the Flies -– Scored for solo percussionist. (Dir. by Judy Hunter for NTHS, Performed at NTHS Hall (Hobart), October 2000)
[edit] Libretti
The Death of Chatterton – A Mythography in One Act for One Man based on a concept by Robert Jarman, Music by Matthew Dewey. (Workshop Premiere @ Mount Nelson Studio Theatre, Hobart by IHOS Music Theatre and Opera, Conducted by composer, Directed by Robert Jarman, Performed by Christopher Richardson (Baritone) in September 2005.
A Priest’s Passion – A One-Scene Chamber Opera, Music by Matthew Dewey (Premiered @ Studio Theatre, Hobart by IHOS Music Theatre Laboratory w/ Tasmanian Conservatorium, Conducted by Jean-Louis Forestier, Directed by Robert Jarman in September 2004.
The Creation and Dismissal – A Cantata for Soprano and Bass-Baritone soloists, SATB Chorus and Chamber Orchestra.
[edit] Scores for Films
The Darkened Room (APA International Film School, Sydney 2004)
Tape and Boot (Dir. Gordon Cleeland of Ideal Media 2002)
Jimmy Dean (Dir. Gordon Cleeland of Ideal Media 2002)
Burger King (Dir. Gordon Cleeland of Ideal Media 2001)
Fold (Dir. Gordon Cleeland of Ideal Media 2001)
[edit] Electro-Acoustic
Portrait of the Divine Mary Magdalene – 6’15”
Sound World 1 & Sound World 2 – (Both Premiered as feature elements of a Theatrical Installation entitled Sound Worlds, Elizabeth College 2002. Art Direction by composer) 5’40” & 7’20”
Music in Structural Retrograde – Music for an installation. 72’00”
[edit] Orchestration
Once in a Blue Moon – A Musical-Theatre Review in 2 Acts, Devised by Robert Jarman; Vocal arrangements, Orchestrations and additional composition by Craig Wood; Drum Kit and additional arrangements + Orchestrations edited by Matthew Dewey. (Premiered @ the Backspace Theatre in Hobart, by the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music in October 2005) 80’00”
I Protomastoras (The Masterbuilder) – An opera in 2 Acts adapted for Chamber Orchestra by Constantine Koukias and Matthew Dewey. Original composition by Manolis Kalomiris, never performed outside of Greece. (Adaptation Premiered @ NIDA Theatre Sydney, by Soaring Arc Productions November 2004; Recorded for ABC Classic FM [NSW Wing] broadcast on 11/09/2005) 90’00”
[edit] Singing Repertoire
[edit] Operatic Roles
"Principle Bass" in Australasian Premiere of Hydrogen Jukebox by Phillip Glass
"Archondas" in Australasian Premiere of I Protomastoras (The Masterbuilder) by Manolis Kalomiris
"Stage Manager" in World Premiere of Touch Wood by Claudio Pompili
"Head Coporate" in World Premiere of Slip - Synthetic Spaces by Hugh Covill
"George Westinghouse" in Tesla - Lightning in His Hand (World Premiere of Tesla-Suite Version) by Constantine Koukias
"Principal Singer" in World Premiere of Da Ponte in Absentia by Constantine Koukias
"Bee Keeper" in World Premiere of Spirits of the Hoist by Constantine Koukias
"Friend" in World Premiere of The Fall of the House of Usher by Maria Grenfell
"Bass" (Trio of the Moon) in A Lizard Between her Breasts by Raffaele Marcellino
