In 2018, with the support of The Trust, Michael Duke (Saxophone) and David Howie (Piano) of HD Duo will be undertaking a new ambitious cross-cultural project that will focus on composers of the Commonwealth. The aim is to commission, perform, record and film one composition from each of the 53 countries represented in the Commonwealth in various stages. This initial project will focus on the collaboration with six premiere composers from six countries (Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Malta, Cyprus and Sri Lanka). Each composer will be commissioned a ten minute chamber work for saxophone and piano that will be workshopped, premiered, toured and recorded for a CD.
The goal of this project is to make a unique, original and valuable contribution to Australian culture and the Australian community. Performances throughout Australia and the targeted Commonwealth countries of these newly composed works will also help to focus and draw attention to the ties and relationships between Australia and these nations.
The entire project will be filmed for The Trust and future dissemination to University Libraries. Performance dates for this exciting new project will be announced soon!
HD Duo
Since its formation in 2008, HD Duo has been at the forefront of new music in Australia prioritising the commissioning, premiering and recording of composition in their programming. They have worked with some of the nation's most prominent composers such as: Matthew Hindson, Michael Smetanin, Anne Boyd, Gerard Brophy, Brenton Broadstock, Katy Abbott, Paul Sarcich, Miriama Young, Catherine Likhuta and Mark Zadro. The duo has premiered and performed this unique repertoire across Australia and the globe in countries such as: USA, England, Scotland, France, Mexico and New Caledonia. The promotion of Australian culture through music was at the forefront of their most recent project “The Mexican Connection”. With the awarding of a DFAT Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR) grant HD Duo was able to commission, tour and record six new compositions of both Mexican and Australian composers to great acclaim.