LIZA LIM
Internationally acclaimed composer Liza Lim writes music marked by visceral energy and vibrant colour. A recurring thread in her work is the exploration of the themes of crossing cultural boundaries and of ecstatic transformation. Her music brings together aspects of modernist abstraction with forms of ritual culture drawn from a variety of sources. She counterpoints seemingly opposed pairs of terms such as 'radiance and shadow', 'violence and meditation' to describe her musical language.
Her music, which ranges from operatic and orchestral scores to site-specific installations, has been performed by some of the world's pre-eminent ensembles. Notably, she was commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic to write the orchestral work, Ecstatic Architecture, to celebrate the inaugural season of the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2004. More recently she has received major commissions from both the Bavarian and South West German Radio Orchestras and was awarded Australian Major Festivals funding for her opera The Navigator which premiered at the Brisbane and Melbourne Festivals in 2008. In 2009, the opera has further performances in Moscow and Paris.
She has been closely associated with the Australian ELISION Ensemble over twenty years, and they have produced some of her larger scale works. These include her chamber operas, the 'memory theatre', The Oresteia (1991-93), the Chinese ritual street opera, Moon Spirit Feasting (1997-99) and The Navigator (2007). She was composer-in-residence with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2005-06. She has also had rich artistic relationships with the Ensemble Intercontemporain (commissions in 1992, 1999, 2000, 2005), Bavarian Radio Orchestra (2006, 2008, 2010) and ensemble für neue musik Zurich.
Recent achievements include features during Maerzmusik Berliner festspiele 2008, Venice Biennale 2007, at the Festival d'Automne à Paris 2005 who commissioned three substantial works, and premieres at the Salzburg and Lucerne Festivals. Awards recognizing Lim's work include Australia's most prestigious composition prize, the Paul Lowin Award for orchestral composition, Fromm Foundation, Ian Potter Foundation and Australia Council Fellowships, and a DAAD Artist-in-residence grant to live and work in Berlin in 2007.
In collaboration with artist Domenico De Clario, Lim has created a series of site-specific installation pieces which are documented with photographs and recordings in the book/CD The Intertwining—The Chasm, published by the Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane. These projects each explored meditative states over all-night or week-long time-spans. In 1999, she worked with artist Judith Wright on Sonorous Bodies, a video installation for the Queensland Art Gallery that toured to the Hebbel Theater Berlin in 2001. She collaborated with artist Judy Watson for the 2005 Queensland Music Festival on Glass House Mountains, looking at Indigenous and European histories of this iconic Australian site. TON, a ‘scena for audience, mobiles and musicians' made with artist Volker Maerz, stage director Sabrina Hoelzer and soloists of ELISION premiered at Maerzmusik Berlin 2008.
Lim earned her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Queensland, her Master of Music from Melbourne University, and her Bachelor of Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts. She has studied composition with Richard David Hames, Riccardo Formosa, and Ton de Leeuw. She has been a guest lecturer at Darmstadt, the University of California San Diego & Berkeley, Cornell University, Getty Research Institute, major Australian universities and at IRCAM's Agora Festival. She was a Lecturer in Composition at Melbourne University in 1991.
She was the guest curator for the twilight concert series 'As Night Softly Falls' at the 2006 Adelaide Festival of the Arts.
Liza Lim has been published by Ricordi (Milan and London) since 1990. Recordings of her music have been released on HatArt, ABC-Classics, Dischi Ricordi and Vox Australis.
Liza Lim is Professor of Composition and Director of CeReNeM (Centre for Research in New Music) at the University of Huddersfield, UK.
http://www.elision.org.au/composers/lim/index.html
PERFORMANCES
| MONTH | DAY | PERFORMANCE | VENUE |
| February | 10 | "The Four Seasons (After Cy Twombly" ** | Musica Nova Helsinki Perf Marilyn Nonken |
| March | 19 | "The Four Seasons (After Cy Twombly" * | McGill University, Schulich School of Music, Perf Marilyn Nonken Montreal (Lecture-Recital), Canada |
| 21 | "The Four Seasons (After Cy Twombly" | The Music Gallery, Toronto, Canada Perf Marilyn Nonken | |
| 29 | "The Four Seasons (After Cy Twombly" * | University of Maryland, School of Music Perf Marilyn Nonken | |
| May | 23 | The Four Seasons (after Cy Twombly) (2009) Marilyn Nonken, piano Williams & Russ Photography, Woodstock |
New York |
| June | 25-27 | "The Navigator" - Opera** ELISION cond. Manuel Nawri singers: Talise Trevigne, Andrew Watts, Omar Ebrahim, Deborah Kayser, Philip Larson Director, Barrie Kosky Chekhov International Theatre Festival, Moscow |
(European) Chekov International Theatre Festival Elision Ensemble Moscow, Russia |
| November | "The Navigator" – Opera (concert version) | Festival d'Automne | |
| 1 | Sonorous Body (2008) |
Torino | |
| 17 | The Four Seasons |
Houston |
|
| 26 | Invisibility (2009) Premiere by Séverine Ballon (‘cello) Huddersfield University |
Huddersfield | |
| Dec | 8 | The Navigator (2008), opera ELISION cond. Manuel Nawri singers: Talise Trevigne, Andrew Watts, Omar Ebrahim, Deborah Kayser, Philip Larson concert performance |
Paris |
| 2010 | |||
| July | 9 | "Pearl, Ochre, Hair String" work for large orchestra** | Premiere at Musica Viva Festival Perf Bayersicher Rundfunk Orchestra |
| Oct | tbc | untitled, work for recorder solo and orchestra ** | Donaueschingen Festival Perf Jeremias Schwarzer (recorders) + SWR Orchestra |
** World premiere *Territorial premiere
WORKS
Prior to 2004 Liza Lim's works were published exclusively by Casa Ricordi, Milano and they are included here.
OPERA
The Oresteia (1991-93)
Memory theatre (opera) in 7 parts after Aeschylus
For 6 voices, 11 instruments and dancer
Libretto by Liza Lim and Barrie Kosky after Aeschylus, Sappho and Tony Harrison
(in English)
soprano, 2 mezzo soprano, counter tenor, tenor, baritone
(mezzo soprano 2 also plays stage ‘cello)
dancer (also vocalising)
Fl/Picc, Ob/Cor Ang, Cl/Bass Cl, Tpt/Picc Tpt, Tbn. Turkish Baglama Saz
(played by mandolinist) Electric Guitar, Perc, Vla/Vla d'amore, Vc, D bass
Duration: 75'
Commissioned by ELISION
Premiere: 16 May 1993, Melbourne, Theatreworks
Elision Ensemble and Treason of Images, conductor Sandro Gorli,
singers: Jeannie van de Velde, Julie Edwardson, Deborah Kayser, Andrew Muscat Clark, Tyrone Landau, Grant Smith, dancer, Shelley Lasica
directed by Barry Kosky, stage designer Peter Corrigan, choreographer Shelley Lasica
Score (136022), Ricordi Milano
Yuè Lìng Jié (Moon Spirit Feasting) (1997-99)
Chinese ritual street opera in 7 parts
For 3 singers, 9 instruments and live electronics
Libretto by Beth Yahp (in English and Chinese)
Characters: Chang-O, soprano
Queen Mother of the West, mezzo soprano (also dances)
Hou Yi/Monkey King, baritone (also dances)
Fl/Picc/Bass Fl, Cl/Bass Cl, Alto Sax/Bar Sax, Tpt/Flugel Hn, 2 Perc, Koto, Er-hu, Vc (all instrumentalists are amplified)
Duration: 75'
Jointly Commissioned by the Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals with support from the Major Festivals Initiative, the Australia Council and Arts Queensland
Premiere: 15 March 2000, Adelaide Festival, Torrens River barge
Elision Ensemble, conductor Simon Hewett,
Singers: Deborah Kayser, Melissa Madden Gray, Orren Tanabe,
Directed by Michael Kantor, stage designer Dorotka Sapinska,
choreographer Melissa Madden Gray
Score (138448) Ricordi Milano
*Scene 6 of the opera, Chang-O Flies to the Moon (1999)
for Soprano, Bass Fl, Koto, Perc, Vc, can be performed separately in concert
Duration: 10'
Premiere: 19 September 1999, Brisbane, Old Museum Brisbane,
Elision Ensemble, conductor Carl Rosman, soprano Deborah Kayser
Ricordi Milano
The Navigator (2007)
Opera in six scenes and a prelude. Libretto by Patricia Sykes
For 5 singers, 16 instrumentalists and electronics
Duration: c 90'
Commissioned by Brisbane Festival, Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, ELISION
Premiere: 29 July 2008, Brisbane Festival, Judith Wright Centre
Singers: Deborah Kayser, Talise Trevigne, Andrew Watts, Omar Ebrahim, Philip Larsen
Elision Ensemble, conductor Manuel Nawri
Directed by Barrie Kosky , stage designer Alice Babidge
Ricordi London
ORCHESTRAL WORKS
(also with instrumental soloists)The Alchemical Wedding (1996)
For chamber orchestra (22 musicians)
2Fl/Picc, 2Ob (2. Cor Ang), Cl eflat, Cl bflat, Bass Cl, Bsn/Cbsn, Alto Sax -
Hn, 2Tpt, Tbn - Perc. Angklung – Hp - Er-hu (Chinese Vln), 2Vln. 3Vc
Duration: 18'
Commissioned by ELISION and Ensemble Modern
Premiere: 30 October 1996 Melbourne, Melbourne International Festival, Elision Ensemble and Ensemble Modern, conductor Dominique My
Score (137517), Ricordi Milano
The Compass (2005-06)
For large orchestra with solo flute & didgeridoo
Flute solo (Picc/Bass Fl); didgeridoo solo (both soloists are amplified)
4Fl (3.4.picc) 3Ob, Cor Ang, Cl eflat, 2 Cl b flat, Bass Cl, 3Bsn, Cbsn-
4Hn, 4Tpt, 4Tbn (4.tenor-bass), Tuba - 3Perc – Piano - Strings
Duration: 25'
Jointly commissioned by Sydney Symphony and Bayerischer Rundfunk
Premiere: 17 May 2006, Sydney Opera House
Sydney Symphony, didgeridoo, William Barton, conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti
Score (RICL058), Ricordi London
Ecstatic Architecture (2001-02)
For large orchestra
Picc. 3Fl (1.Picc, 2.3. Bass Fl), 3 Ob, Cor Ang, 2Cl, 2Bass Cl, 2Bsn, 2 Cbsn –
4 Hn, 3 Tpt, 3 Tbn (1. Alto Tbn), Bass Tbn, Bass Tuba, 3Perc, Harp, Strings.
Duration: 25'
Commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Premiere: 28 May 2004, Los Angeles, Walt Disney Concert Hall
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen
Score (139202), Ricordi Milano
Flying Banner (after Wang To) (2005)
Fanfare for orchestra
2Picc, 1Fl, 2Ob, Cor Ang, Cl eflat, Cl b flat, Bass Cl, 2Bsn, Cbsn-2Hn, Picc Tpt, Tpt, 2Tbn, Bass Tbn – Timp - 1Perc (5 Chinese gongs, 3 wood blocks, 2 temple blocks, high tom-tom)-Strings
Duration: 9'
Commissioned by the Sydney Symphony
Premiere: 8 March 2006, Sydney Opera House
Sydney Symphony conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti
Score (RICL057), Ricordi London
Immer fliessender (2004)
For large orchestra
Picc, 3Pl, 3Ob, Cor Ang, Cl eflat, 3Cl in A, Bass Cl, 3Bsn, Cbsn-
4Hn, 3Tpt, 3Tbn, Bass Tuba - 2Timp, 2Perc – 2Harp - Strings
Duration: 8½'
Commissioned by the Sydney Symphony as a companion piece to Mahler's Ninth Symphony. A project of the orchestra's composer-in-residence programme supported by Symphony Australia with funding from the Australia Council.
Premiere: 18 May 2005, Sydney Opera House
Sydney Symphony conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti.
Score (RICL051), Ricordi London
Machine for Contacting the Dead (1999-2000)
For 27 musicians including 2 soloists (Bass Cl/Cbass Cl & Vc)
Bass Fl/picc, Fl/picc, 2 Ob (2. Cor Ang), 2 Cl in A, Bass Cl/Cbass (soloist), Bsn, Cbsn – Hn, 2 Tpt, Alto Tbn, Trbn, Tuba - 3 Perc – Harp, Piano - 2 Vln, 2 Vla, 2 Vc (1. soloist), D bass
Duration: 38'
Commissioned by the Ensemble Intercontemporain
Premiere: 20 February 2000, Paris, Cité de la Musique,
Ensemble Intercontemporain, Alain Billard (Bass Cl/Cbass Cl),
Pierre Strauch (Violoncello), conductor Jonathan Nott
Score (138702), Ricordi Milano
LARGE ENSEMBLE WORKS
City of Falling Angels (2006)
I. Miranda Visione, 10 minutes
II. The Winged One, 8 minutes
for 12 percussionists
Garden of Earthly Desire (1988-89)
For 11 musicians
Fl/picc, Ob, Cl, Mand, Elec Guitar, Harp, Perc, Vln, Vla, Vc, D Bass
Duration: 26'
Commissioned by ELISION and Handspan Theatre
Premiere: 6 October 1989, Melbourne, Montsalvat Great Hall,
Elision Ensemble, conductor, Christopher Lyndon-Gee
with puppet theatre by Handspan Theatre
Score (135541), Ricordi Milano
Li Shang yin (1993)
For Coloratura Soprano and 15 instruments
Text by Li Shang yin (in Chinese)
Ob, Cor Ang, Bsn, Cbsn, Sop Sax, Hn, slide Tpt, Tbn, Tuba, Harp, Vln, 2 Vla, 2 Vc
Duration: 15'
Commissioned by the Ensemble Intercontemporain
Premiere: 25 February 1994, Paris, Centre G. Pompidou
Ensemble Intercontemporain, soprano Françoise Kubler, conductor James Wood
Score (136298), Ricordi Milano
Mother Tongue (2005)
For Soprano & 15 instruments
Text by Patricia Sykes
Sop, 2 Fl (2nd picc), Ob, Cl, Bass Cl, Alto/Bar Sax, Bsn/C Bsn,
Tpt, Tbn, 1 Perc, 2 Vln, Vla, Vc, D Bass
Duration: 36'
Jointly commissioned by Ensemble Intercontemporain, Festival d'Automne à Paris & ELISION. Poems commissioned by Liza Lim
Premiere 30 November 2005, Paris, Cité de la Musique
Ensemble Intercontemporain, soprano Piia Komsi, conductor Jonathan Nott
Score (RICL055), Ricordi London
Sensorium (2007)
Concert version of Scene 2 of The Navigator.
Text by Patricia Sykes
for soprano, counter-tenor, tenor Ganassi recorder/Paetzold contrabass recorder, viola d'amore, Baroque triple harp
Duration: 12'
Commissioned by Brisbane Festival, Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, ELISION
Premiered by ELISION cond. Simon Hewett, soprano Susan Narucki, countertenor Andrew Watts at MärzMusic Berlinerfestspiele, 09.03.08
Ricordi London
CHAMBER MUSIC/ SMALL ENSEMBLE WORKS
Amulet (1992)
For solo viola
Duration: 7'
Premiere: 26 May 1994, Melbourne, Beckett Theatre, 26 maggio 1994
Jennifer Curl, viola
Score (136483), Ricordi Milano
Anactoria (1998)
For six percussionists
Duration: 15'
Commissioned by Synergy Percussion
Premiere: 19 September 1999, Sydney Opera House, Synergy Percussion
Score (138071), Ricordi Milano
Burning House (1995)
For koto & voice (1 performer)
Text: 3 poems by Izumi Shikibu (in Japanese)
Duration: 12'
Score written in traditional Japanese koto notation
Premiere: 30 June 1996, Lismore, NORPA, Satsuki Odamura
Score (138635), Ricordi Milano
Chang-O (1998)
For baritone and percussion
Text by Li Shang yin (in Chinese)
Duration: 8'
Commissioned by Darmstardt Ferienkurse 1998
Premiere: 22 July 1998, Darmstadt, Orangerie
Kurt Widmer, baritone, Mircea Ardeleanu, percussion
Score (138286), Ricordi Milano
The Four Seasons (after Cy Twombly) (2008)
for solo piano
Duration: c 40'
Commssioned by Ian Potter Foundation, Australia
Premiere: 10 February 2009, Musica Nova, Helsinki
Marilyn Nonken, piano
Ricordi London
Gothic (1995-96)
For 8 solo strings (3Vln, 2Vla, 2Vc, D bass)
Duration: 10'
Commissioned by Australian Chamber Orchestra/ANZ Bank
Premiere: 20 June 1996, Sydney, SCEGGS Hall
Australian Chamber Orchestra, direttore John Harding
Score (137405), Ricordi Milano
The Heart's Ear (1997)
For flute, clarinet, string quartet (2Vln, Vla, Vc)
Duration: 12'
Commissioned by the Australia Ensemble
Premiere: 11 October 1997, Sydney, Clancy Auditorium
Australia Ensemble, conductor Dean Olding
Score (137810), Ricordi Milano
Hell (1992)
For string quartet (2Vln, Vla, Vc)
Duration:10'
Commissioned by Milano Musica
Premiere: 9 June 1992, Milano, Milano Musica, Arditti String Quartet
Score (135889), Ricordi Milano
Inguz (Fertility) (1996)
For clarinet in A and violoncello
Duration: 6'
Premiere: 25 November 1996, Bremen, Bremer Podium Concert
Carl Rosman, clarinet, Rosanne Hunt, violoncello
Score (137626), Ricordi Milano
In the Shadow's Light (2004)
For string quartet (2 Vln, Vla, Vc)
Duration: 26'
Commissioned by Festival d'Automne à Paris
Premiere 29 November 2005, Paris, Cité de la Musique, Kairos Quartett
Score(RICL053), Ricordi London
Koto (1993)
For 8 musicians
Fl/picc, Ob.d'amore, Flugel horn, Koto, Vla, 2Vc, Perc
Duration: 12'
Premiere: 29 July 1994, Lismore, Churchill Auditorium,
Elision Ensemble, Satsuki Odamura koto, conductor Sandro Gorli
Score (136557), Ricordi Milano
The long forgetting (2007)
for tenor Ganassi recorder
Duration: 5'
Premiere: 15 March 2008, St. Elisabeth-Kirche, Berlin, Maerzmusik Berlinerfestspiele
Genevieve Lacey, recorder
Score: (RICL086), Ricordi London
Ming Qi (Bright Vessel) (2000)
For oboe and percussion
Duration: 3'
Commissioned by the Divertimento Ensemble
Premiere: 1 October 2000, Venice Biennale,
Luca Avanzi oboe, Riccardo Balbinutti percussion
Score (138636), Ricordi Milano
Ochred String (2007)
for oboe, viola, viola, 'cello
Duration: 14'
Score (RICL110), Ricordi London
Philtre (1997)
for solo violin (scordatura) [or Hardanger fiddle]
Duration: 5'
Premiere: 15 March 1998, Amsterdam, Mary Oliver (Norwegian Hardanger fiddle)
Score (138070), Ricordi Milano
The Quickening (2004-05)
Soprano and qin (Chinese zither)
Text by Yang Lian
Duration: 22'
Commissioned by Festival d'Automne à Paris
Premiere: 29 November 2005, Paris, Cité de la Musique, Deborah Kayser, Yang Chunwei
Score (RICL054), Ricordi London
Shimmer Songs (2006)
‘double quartet'
For string quartet (2 Vln, Vla, Vc), harp, 3 perc
Duration: 15'
Commissioned by the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players
through the Fromm Foundation
Premiere 2007, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players
Score (RICL059), Ricordi London
Songs found in dream (2005)
For 8 musicians
Ob, Bass Cl, Alto Sax, Trumpet, 2 Perc, Vc, D Bass
Duration: 16'
Commissioned by Salzburger Festspiele
Premiere: 20 August 2005, Mozarteum Salzburg,
Klangforum Wien conducted by Stefan Ashbury
Score (RICL052), Ricordi London
Sonorous Body (2008)
for solo b flat clarinet
Duration: 12'
Commissioned by Zeitgenoessischer Oper Berlin & ELISION
Premiere: 15 March 2008, St Elisabeth-Kirche as part of TON project, Märzmusik, Berlin
Score (RICL112), Ricordi London
Spirit Weapons (1999-2000)
Part I for violoncello solo
Part II for contrabass clarinet and 3 percussion
The two parts may be performed separately
Duration: 17' (Part I: 6'5"; Part II: 9')
Commissioned by Ensemble Intercontemporain
Premiere: 4 November 2000, Paris, Centre G. Pompidou
violoncello Pierre Strauch, clarinets Alain Billard,
percussion: Vincent Bauer, Daniel Ciampolini and Michel Cerutti
Score (138579), Ricordi Milano
Street of Crocodiles (1995)
For 9 musicians
Fl, Ob, Alto Sax, Alto Tbn, Cimbalom/Perc, Vln, Vla, Vc Baroque Vc
Duration: 14'
Commissioned by Ensemble Modern
Premiere: 3 November 1995, Frankfurt, Alte Oper
Ensemble Modern, conductor Ingo Metzmacher
Score (137227), Ricordi Milano
Veil (1999)
For 7 Musicians
Fl/Bass Fl, Bass Cl, Tpt in C, Perc, Piano, Vln, Vc
Duration 10'
Commissioned by Ensemble für neue musik zürich
Premiere: 23 February 2000, Cologne, WDR Composer Portrait
Ensemble für neue musik zürich, conductor Jürg Henneberger
Score (138547), Ricordi Milano
Voodoo Child (1989)
For soprano and 7 musicians
Soprano, Fl/picc, Cl, Tbn, Perc, Piano, Vln, Vc
Text by Sappho (in Ancient Greek)
Duration: 11'
Commissioned by Radio Bremen
Premiere: 12 May 1990, Bremen, Festival Pro Musica Nova
Ensemble Avance, soprano Ingrid Schmithüsen, conductor Andras Hamary
Score (135688), Ricordi Milano
Weaver-of-fictions (2007)
(Prelude to The Navigator)
for alto Ganassi recorder
Duration: 5'
Premiere: 26 May 2007, Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne
Genevieve Lacey, recorder
Score (RICL084), Ricordi London
Well of Dreams (2008)
For solo alto trombone
Duration: 5'
Commissioned by Zeitgenoessischer Oper Berlin & ELISION
Premiere: 15 March 2008, St Elisabeth-Kirche as part of TON project, Märzmusik, Berlin
Score (RICL111), Ricordi London
Wild-winged one (2007)
for solo trumpet
Duration: 8'
Premiere: 6 September 2007, Museum fur Asiatische Kunst, Berlin,
Nathan Plante, trumpet
Score (RICL085), Ricordi London
