By Laura Brearley
NINE gifted, local musicians and composers have been selected to compose music for the Coastal Connections project. They represent a range of musical genres and bring unique sets of skills and life experiences to the project. They have been commissioned to compose music for a series of short films being made about special green and blue places loved by community members.
The following musicians and composers have been selected by the Coastal Connections Working Group.
NINE gifted, local musicians and composers have been selected to compose music for the Coastal Connections project. They represent a range of musical genres and bring unique sets of skills and life experiences to the project. They have been commissioned to compose music for a series of short films being made about special green and blue places loved by community members.
The following musicians and composers have been selected by the Coastal Connections Working Group.
1) Mark Finsterer
Mark is composing music for the film on Harmers Haven, inspired by Catherine Watson’s words. Mark plays acoustic guitar, electric guitars, wooden banjo and uses loops and delays in his compositions. You may remember his beautiful music from the creative collaborations inspired by John Mutsaers’ ‘Infinite Bird Cage’ artworks earlier this year.
2) Robin Lowe
Robin is a drummer, percussionist, singer/songwriter and guitarist whose recent song ‘Did You Live a Good Life?’ was informed by his work as a paramedic. The YouTube video of his song features breathtaking aerial views of the Bass Coast taken by Robin himself. Robin is composing music for the film of the Bunurong Coast, featuring Eagle Rock (John Mutsaers) and Shack Bay (Judy Vradenburg).
3) Ben Cavender
Ben Cavender incorporates sounds from the natural world in his experimental and ambient music, using synthesiser and other instruments in his soundscapes. For the Coastal Connections project, Ben will be recording sounds from the special places in Bass Coast that are being featured in the films. He will create a bank of natural sounds on which the composers can draw for inspiration and possible incorporation in their compositions. Ben will also compose music for the Coastal Connections Virtual Exhibition being developed in collaboration with the West Gippsland Library Association.
4) Max Richter
Among the instruments Max plays are guitar and cajon drum. He uses looping and other effects in his compositions and also incorporates field recordings. Max is composing the music for the Waterline Coast film, featuring The Gurdies Conservation Reserve (Margaret Lee) and the Grass Tree Forest at Grantville (Meryl and Hartley Tobin).
5) Dave Prideaux
Dave is a composer and sound recording artist who teaches music at Newhaven College. He has recently opened a recording studio in Cowes called Sunderland Studio. He is a vocalist and plays many instruments, including drums, guitar and keyboards. Dave is composing music for the Island Beaches film featuring Summerlands (Tricia Storr), Red Rocks (Sue Saliba and Ann Shenfield), Surf Beach (John Adam) and Cape Woolamai (Ajanta Judd).
6) Lyndal Chambers
Lyndal is a musician and composer with a lifetime of experience as a music educator and community music facilitator. With Brian ‘Strat’ Strating, she co-leads the popular local street band ‘Invy Horn Jam’. Lyndal sings and plays many instruments including button accordion, trombone and flute. She will be collaborating with Strat to compose music for the Inverloch film, featuring Screw Creek (Jackie Moss), Townsends Bluff (Karen Bateman and Kerri-Anne Pratt) and the Inlet (Dan Rosen).
7) Brian ‘Strat’ Strating
Strat is a community music leader and multi-instrumentalist. He is a singer and plays violin, mandolin, mandola, saxophone, clarinet and co-leads the Invy Horn Jam with Lyndal Chambers. With Lyndal, he will be composing music for the film focussing on Inverloch, with Screw Creek (Karen Bateman and Kerri-Anne Pratt), Townsends Bluff (Jackie Moss) and the Inlet (Dan Rosen).
8) Rosie Westbrook
Rosie is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who plays bowed double bass as well as classical and electric guitars. She moved to Bass Coast three years ago and has played and composed with many high-profile musicians around the world. She is an experienced film composer and in Coastal Connections, she will be composing the music for the Waterline Coast films, featuring Norsemans Beach, Coronet Bay (Suzanne Swift) and Moorings Place, Corinella (Lyndell Parker).
9) Larry Hills
Larry is well-known in the region through his work in local theatre and as conductor of the Bass Coast Chorale. He is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator and has been the musical director of a number of major musical productions in Gippsland. Larry will be composing the music for the slightly longer seventh Coastal Connections film which will be weaving together elements of the six short films.
The Working Group is thrilled with the high calibre of musicians and composers who submitted Expressions of Interest to participate in the Coastal Connections project. We look forward to hearing the music inspired by the places we love.
You can see more information about the Coastal Connections project at: https://www.basscoastpost.com/laura-brearley/the-places-we-love
Mark is composing music for the film on Harmers Haven, inspired by Catherine Watson’s words. Mark plays acoustic guitar, electric guitars, wooden banjo and uses loops and delays in his compositions. You may remember his beautiful music from the creative collaborations inspired by John Mutsaers’ ‘Infinite Bird Cage’ artworks earlier this year.
2) Robin Lowe
Robin is a drummer, percussionist, singer/songwriter and guitarist whose recent song ‘Did You Live a Good Life?’ was informed by his work as a paramedic. The YouTube video of his song features breathtaking aerial views of the Bass Coast taken by Robin himself. Robin is composing music for the film of the Bunurong Coast, featuring Eagle Rock (John Mutsaers) and Shack Bay (Judy Vradenburg).
3) Ben Cavender
Ben Cavender incorporates sounds from the natural world in his experimental and ambient music, using synthesiser and other instruments in his soundscapes. For the Coastal Connections project, Ben will be recording sounds from the special places in Bass Coast that are being featured in the films. He will create a bank of natural sounds on which the composers can draw for inspiration and possible incorporation in their compositions. Ben will also compose music for the Coastal Connections Virtual Exhibition being developed in collaboration with the West Gippsland Library Association.
4) Max Richter
Among the instruments Max plays are guitar and cajon drum. He uses looping and other effects in his compositions and also incorporates field recordings. Max is composing the music for the Waterline Coast film, featuring The Gurdies Conservation Reserve (Margaret Lee) and the Grass Tree Forest at Grantville (Meryl and Hartley Tobin).
5) Dave Prideaux
Dave is a composer and sound recording artist who teaches music at Newhaven College. He has recently opened a recording studio in Cowes called Sunderland Studio. He is a vocalist and plays many instruments, including drums, guitar and keyboards. Dave is composing music for the Island Beaches film featuring Summerlands (Tricia Storr), Red Rocks (Sue Saliba and Ann Shenfield), Surf Beach (John Adam) and Cape Woolamai (Ajanta Judd).
6) Lyndal Chambers
Lyndal is a musician and composer with a lifetime of experience as a music educator and community music facilitator. With Brian ‘Strat’ Strating, she co-leads the popular local street band ‘Invy Horn Jam’. Lyndal sings and plays many instruments including button accordion, trombone and flute. She will be collaborating with Strat to compose music for the Inverloch film, featuring Screw Creek (Jackie Moss), Townsends Bluff (Karen Bateman and Kerri-Anne Pratt) and the Inlet (Dan Rosen).
7) Brian ‘Strat’ Strating
Strat is a community music leader and multi-instrumentalist. He is a singer and plays violin, mandolin, mandola, saxophone, clarinet and co-leads the Invy Horn Jam with Lyndal Chambers. With Lyndal, he will be composing music for the film focussing on Inverloch, with Screw Creek (Karen Bateman and Kerri-Anne Pratt), Townsends Bluff (Jackie Moss) and the Inlet (Dan Rosen).
8) Rosie Westbrook
Rosie is a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who plays bowed double bass as well as classical and electric guitars. She moved to Bass Coast three years ago and has played and composed with many high-profile musicians around the world. She is an experienced film composer and in Coastal Connections, she will be composing the music for the Waterline Coast films, featuring Norsemans Beach, Coronet Bay (Suzanne Swift) and Moorings Place, Corinella (Lyndell Parker).
9) Larry Hills
Larry is well-known in the region through his work in local theatre and as conductor of the Bass Coast Chorale. He is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator and has been the musical director of a number of major musical productions in Gippsland. Larry will be composing the music for the slightly longer seventh Coastal Connections film which will be weaving together elements of the six short films.
The Working Group is thrilled with the high calibre of musicians and composers who submitted Expressions of Interest to participate in the Coastal Connections project. We look forward to hearing the music inspired by the places we love.
You can see more information about the Coastal Connections project at: https://www.basscoastpost.com/laura-brearley/the-places-we-love