Jane Gardner
Commissions & Composing
Commissions & Composing
Jane’s concert hall works have been commissioned and performed by groups such as the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Piano Circus (6 pianos) and the Mistry String Quartet. She has worked extensively in Theatre and Dance, and has composed for companies such as Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and acrobatic string group ‘The Gogmagogs’. In 1994 she received a Major Composer’s Bursary from the Scottish Arts Council to develop a multidisciplinary work based on ‘The Twelve Dancing Princesses’ by the brothers Grimm.
Selected List of Compositions
Choral/Orchestral:
Queensferry for oboe and string orchestra - Scottish Chamber Orchestra & Borders Community Orchestra 2002
Stand Alone for choir and ensemble- Heriott Watt University New Music Group 2000;
Maxwell’s Demon for the Stirling Symphony Orchestra 1995; (amateur players)
Rasa for mezzo-soprano, chorus & ensemble- Cunningham Choir 1993;
Overture for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra 1992;
Moral Tails for 2 pianos & strings St. Mary’s Music School commissioned by Edinburgh Contemporary Arts Trust & the RSSPCA 1991.
Solo & Ensemble:
Ne Sa Ma for Quintessence wind quintet 2002
Mr. Abdul for solo piano 2001 & Mr. Abdul - Music for 'Oceans' 2003; arrangement for large ensemble; soundtrack for digital animation by artist Jacques Marzan.
All Wonder for prepared piano and Javanese Gamelan - Joanna MacGregor and the South Bank Gamelan (SPNM Bath Festival 2000);
Leave the Balcony Open for harp & percussion - Gemini ensemble 2000;
Source One (score with element of improvisation) for percussion, Ondes Martenot and violin with dancers- Bottled at Source with the Matthew Hawkins Company 1998;
Five songs for the Women’s Playhouse Trust staged song-cycle Passages Endymion Ensemble, QEH London 1997;
Trapeze for Two Atoms in 2 versions- amplified ensemble Icebreaker (1996) and mixed chamber ensemble Lontano (2000);
SLOW Lorries Merging for six pianos - Piano Circus 1994;
In the Looking-Glass River for flute and clarinet - RSNO 1994;
On the Snow for mezzo-soprano and ensemble - Mary Weigold & the Composers’ Ensemble 1993;
Banten for 4 female voices & percussion- Scottish Voices ensemble, McEwan Commission, Glasgow University 1993;
White Lines for SCO string trio, 1991
String Quartet From Hoy for the Mistry Quartet 1989
Music for Children:
Compositions for Kentish Town Kids 33 miniatures for piano 2000; and many more short pieces af all standards 2000-4
Mr Goggleye Visits the Exhibition for 20 young percussionists- Dulwich Prep. & Kingsdale schools 1997;
Fanfare for symphony orchestra of young players of mixed levels-Scottish Schools Orchestra Trust 1994;
Music-Theatre:
He Hid, The Wild Life, Mice and Encore for string septet ‘The Gogmagogs’ 1997-99;
Thrum for solo trombonist - Soundpool commission for Barrie Webb 1994;
The Morning for soprano, 2 pianos & percussion- RSAMD 1993;
The People, Yes for 8 actors and mixed amplified ensemble- RSAMD 1991.
Stopping Places for 13 flutes & mixed ensemble – RSAMD flute dept. 1991
Theatre: (as Composer / Conductor / Pianist):
The Maid’s Tragedy (Beaumont & Fletcher) - Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre 1997;
Bonjour Tristesse (Francoise Sagan) - Theatre Cryptic 1994;
The Bloody Chamber (Angela Carter) - Tron Theatre Co. 1992;
The Soul Machine – Test Dept. Productions 1991;
The Goodperson of Sichuan (Bertholt Brecht) - RSAMD 1991;
Human Cannon (Edward Bond) - Scottish Youth Theatre 1990.
Dance:
Ballet The Twelve Dancing Princesses with choreographer Matthew Hawkins, for large ensemble, first produced at the Isleworth Festival 2000; Full version completed 2003.
Constant Rain for solo piano and 2 dancers- International Dance Course for Professional Choreographers and Composers 1994;
Trilby score for piano and Scottish folk fiddler, choreographers Andy Howitt, Kim Brandstrupp and Matthew Hawkins, commissioned by Dance Productions 1992;
House on the Hill at the Vim Vandekeybus & Thierry de Mey residency, Glasgow 1992 for two amplified violins (SCO players) and solo dancer Rosina Bonsu.
Film:
The Northleach Horror written and directed by David Cairns 2016
Sleepwalking written and directed by Mike Kelly (piano, oboe and double bass score)- Edinburgh Festival 1997;
Perhaps written and directed by Stephen Eastwood (London venues) (digital score) 1996.
"The boundaries of a commission are not limitations but a source of inspiration"
— Jane Gardner