Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

Newly signed to Wise Music G. Schirmer Australia Pty Ltd, Stuart Greenbaum’s music is mature, confident and impactful. Known for its lyricism, there is an infectious jazz element to his writing which frequently includes unprepared descending modulations, providing an urgency and interest to the listener. His compositional style could sometimes be described as an almost ordered improvisation.

“Greenbaum’s music; there's real poetry in it.”
Andrew Ford, 24 Hours

“Melbourne composer Stuart Greenbaum’s chamber works, like all the best art, is in the world but not of the world.”
Will Yeoman, Limelight magazine

The US Premiere of his 33-minute piano solo, Ice Man, will be performed by Amir Farid at Carnegie Hall on 29 May.

Ice Man is a programmatic work in three movements. It can be further divided up into nine sections which are based on the plight of James Scott, the Australian student who was trapped in the Himalayan snow for 43 days before being rescued.

Greenbaum noted “When I first read about him in a newspaper article it moved me greatly and I felt that I would like to write a piece of music based on his story. After much initial trouble I eventually came to the conclusion that it was impossible for me to write a piece of music which reflected James Scott's feelings. The piece is actually about my feelings; about how I feel about the idea of being in his predicament.”

Featured non-Australian music: MOZART - Adagio in B Minor, K. 540; PROKOFIEV - Toccata in D Minor, Op. 11; SCHUBERT Piano Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960; ROBERT PATERSON - Joy Ride

Further information for this event is available online at the event's website

Featured Australian Works

Featured artists

• Performer Amir Farid