In Barbour St. Late Evening, I have amalgamated modern classical compositional techniques with echoes of jazz standards and spirituals.
This is a further development of work I have been making over my compositional career which incorporates the harmonies and textures of ensemble jazz with the melodies of folk and modern classical composition.
The strings largely provide an atmospheric backdrop until they transform into a jazz refrain, whilst the winds and brass juxtapose with strains of various bluesy and spiritual tunes. The percussion hints subtly at New Orleans second line style marching bands and tie together the spiritual and the atmospheric.
The misty string harmonies are derived from a five-part harmonisation (five distinct pitch classes) created from a jazz chord progression and then expanded vertically. On each repeat they slowly contract to reach their original form.
Alex van den Broek Photo: SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music
Biography
Alex has a Masters in Composition from the University of Canterbury and a Diploma in Jazz from CPIT Jazz School majoring in Composition and Arranging. He is much in demand as a composer and arranger by many New Zealand performers and organisations.
Alex was the co-founder and musical director/conductor ('05-'09) of the Silencio Ensemble, a ten piece new-music ensemble. Alongside many concerts in the Canterbury region they collaborated with the Christchurch Art Gallery to perform 'Art and Socialism' ('08), and ‘Listen/Rita’ ('09).
He has received several grants from Creative New Zealand including one in 2008 for Still Standing Silent a work composed for mixed discipline ensemble (Classical and Jazz) and contemporary dancer (Julia Milsom). This work was premiered in Christchurch in November 2009. In 2010, Alex received funding to work with well-known Sydney group 'The Song Company' utilizing a text by a fellow Dutch New Zealander, Riemke Ensing.
Recent creative projects have included performances of Still Standing Silent for the Body Festival; View From Mt. Peel for the NZ Trio; and Salon Kitty for the Christchurch Arts Festival.
Recorded by RNZ Concert for the 2018 NZ Composer Sessions
Producer: David McCaw
Engineer: Graham Kennedy
