New music resource kit: Dance with Nature – the chamber music of Ross Edwards

The Australian Music Centre’s new music resource kit, Dance with Nature – the chamber music of Ross Edwards by Philip Cooney is now available for purchase.

The kit has been especially designed for secondary and tertiary level study. Activities have been prepared for seven short works by Edwards: Binyang (clarinet and percussion), Marimba Dances, More Marimba Dances, Ecstatic Dances (flute duet), Water Spirit Song (cello), Etymalong (piano) and Piano Trio.

The kit contains easy-to-use question and activity sections, musical examples, classroom arrangements of music, an interview with the composer, and is accompanied by a CD from the performance at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre – The Joan’s education series was recently awarded at the Art Music Awards 2011.

The author of the kit, Philip Cooney, is a teacher with thirty years experience. His study of the music of Ross Edwards, described by Professor Anne Boyd as ‘a valuable contribution to Australian musical scholarship’, has identified the major developments in the composer’s music in the last fifteen years. Cooney’s earlier kit on Ross Edwards’s orchestral music is also available through the AMC.

While score samples relating to the activities are included in the kit’s booklet, complete scores for each work can be purchased separately from the Australian Music Centre.

Dance with nature – the chamber music of Ross Edwards is available from the AMC Shop at $55. (AMC members get a %10 discount – find out more about membership.)

© Australian Music Centre, 2011. Permission must be obtained from the AMC if you wish to reproduce this article either online or in print.