Beneath the Waves – Suite for Cello and Orchestra
Based on music from the motion picture Blueback
(dur. 20 minutes)
My father taught me about the ocean.
Navigator, fisherman, sailor, boatbuilder and avid environmentalist, he was an incurable romantic regarding all things nautical and would head to the coast at any opportunity to weigh anchor and immerse himself in the prevailing tides and breezes of the east coast.
In between his day job as a symphony musician he managed to clock up thousands of nautical miles on coastal voyages from the roaring forties of Tasmania to the wet tropics of northern Queensland. His enthusiasm was infectious and as a young boy I was a willing accomplice, no matter what the destination and regardless of the weather.
Many years later when Robert Connolly introduced me to Blueback, Tim Winton’s charming and deeply moving fable, I was overcome by a strong sense of déjà vu. I could taste the salt spray of the Indian Ocean and was primed for a seascape adventure of a different design. Truth is, I had been harbouring a secret desire to write a score for a Tim Winton movie ever since I began collecting his books in the 1980s – and here it was, a dream come true.
The music from Blueback traverses a narrative of deep sadness concerning the fragility of life and the state of our coral reefs and threats to the ocean through climate change. This is contrasted with moments of hope and optimism celebrating humanities ability to accomplish a meaningful connection with nature in the face of the immense environmental challenges of our times.
Beneath the Waves uses these themes as a foundation from which to explore and construct a virtuosic concert suite for Sharon Grigoryan, one of Australia’s finest cellists.
I am indebted to Colin Cornish (ex CEO of AYO) for his invitation to create this work and also to Sharon Grigoryan for her invaluable advice and input into the design of the cello part.
Sadly my father passed away during the writing of the Blueback score and I would like to dedicate Beneath the Waves to him for so generously sharing with me his deep respect for the ocean and all the magnificent creatures therein.
For Don with love and admiration.
Beneath the Waves – Suite for Cello and Orchestra is based on the score for the movie Blueback (2023) directed by Robert Connolly. It was commissioned by the Australian Youth Orchestra for Sharon Grigoryan and the AYO for their 2023 Winter concert season.
To purchase the score and parts for this work, please see the print music catalogues