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In October 2008 Maribel Steel was inspired by an orchestral concert at the Melbourne Concert Hall. Enthralled by the beautiful music of Nigel Westlake’s “Shadow Dancers” she came home that night with a dream and a vision - to inspire a group of people to help bring to light the exquisite music of Tarka as a live performance for the music loving community of Victoria. In the small hours of the night, she wrote up the plan as she dared to dream…”it seemed like a far fetched idea at the time, but my heart knew we would make it happen”…
Shortly after the first rehearsal of The Victorian Women’s Trust ‘Women’s Anthem’ - an extraordinary singing event with over 400 women singing ‘Love and Justice’ composed and led by Kavisha Mazzella,the event celebrated one hundred years of women’s rights to vote in Victoria, Australia - Maribel approached Mary Crooks, Executive Director of VWT who realized the common thread between the music of Tarka and ‘Our Watermark” book. Thus began a collaboration between Spring Studio, The Victorian Women’s Trust and The Boite.
Tarka the music – Watermark the book
Tarka, which literally means ‘wandering as water’ - is a modern symphony in three movements, first performed and recorded by members of The London Philharmonic and BBC National Orchestras in 1978. Co-composers Harry Williamson and Anthony Phillips also play on the recording, inspired to write the music in 1976 as a homage to Henry Williamson’s classic book ‘Tarka the Otter’. His magical descriptions of the natural world have helped open the eyes of so many to the beauty of England’s West country.
Watermark – is an informative and thoroughly researched book produced by The Victorian Women’s Trust (VWT) as a ‘wake up call’ to the citizens of Australia to become actively involved with plans and projects to conserve precious water supplies.
The world premierperformance of Tarka in Melbourne in 2010 is a unique opportunity to ‘make a beautiful noise’ and awaken our community with actions aimed at conserving our most essential resource!
The collaborative spirit
With the seeds of possibilities now sown, Harry and Anthony found themselves collaborating all over again, after 30 years! The scores were retrieved from their various hiding places in the UK and Australia and dusted off for revision – it would need re-scoring in places, the original manuscripts having lain dormant for so long. Frequent emails between the composers ensued as Anthony checked his guitar parts with his original score before posting his corrections to Harry 12,000 miles away in Australia. The two friends meticulously compared notes and sometimes, relying on their memories of the different orchestral parts rewrote small sections via the modern day invention of the internet.
Anthony’s corrected scores arrived safely in February 2009, in several huge packages, and Harry took on transcribing the 600 bars of Movements One and Two into the music notation program Sibelius, so that little changes and improvements could be easily achieved, and Movement Three was re-checked over note by note in London by Anthony Phillips.
The work in progress
The complete Tarka Movements One, Two, Three and final Anthem are almost ready to be handed over to Gerald Keuneman, conductor for The Whitehorse Orchestra, who will begin their rehearsals later this year in preparation for this unique music event in February 2010.
The concert, which will be more like an amazing music festival held on one day, has growing support and is generating excitement from various well known Melbourne based musicians (see below).
The organizers are working well like a team of industrious ants as this project begins to really take shape and funds are sought and links are made with other supporting organizations.
The concert + Guest Artists
Internationally renowned guitarist, Doug De Vries has graciously taken on the challenge of learning Anthony Phillip’s part in altered tunings as Anthony cannot be here for the concert. Harry and Doug will be joint soloists with The Whitehorse Orchestra for the world premiere performance of Tarka.
The music feast does not end here! – in the second half of the concert we are very happy to announce our other highly acclaimed artists:
Ruby Hunter
Doug de Vries
Invention In Time
Kavisha Mazzella
Michael Johnson
Frank Jones and the Northern Voice Choir
Mary Crooks will write and deliver a public narrative around the theme of water that will weave its way in and around the performances in the second half of the concert with a grand finale song led by Kavisha not to be missed!
The World Premiere Live Performance of Tarka – coming in 2010
WHERE: The MelbourneTown Hall
WHEN: Saturday 27th February 2010
TIMES: 2pm + 7.30pm
Bookings: Greentix
Future plans
As interest, enthusiasm and support is growing every day for this project both in Australia and in the UK, particularly the region of North Devon in ‘Tarka Country’, Harry and Maribel are planning the filming of a documentary ‘The making of Tarka’ with a filming trip to UK later this year to gather footage for screening at the concert.
Local images from around Victoria will also be captured as visual support material for the second half of the concert.
If you would like further information or are interested in becoming an active support in any way for the Tarka Project please contact:
Maribel Steel
Tarka Project Co-ordinator
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In October 2008 Maribel Steel was inspired by an orchestral concert at the Melbourne Concert Hall. Enthralled by the beautiful music of Nigel Westlake’s “Shadow Dancers” she came home that night with a dream and a vision - to inspire a group of people to help bring to light the exquisite music of Tarka as a live performance for the music loving community of Victoria. In the small hours of the night, she wrote up the plan as she dared to dream…”it seemed like a far fetched idea at the time, but my heart knew we would make it happen”…
Shortly after the first rehearsal of The Victorian Women’s Trust ‘Women’s Anthem’ - an extraordinary singing event with over 400 women singing ‘Love and Justice’ composed and led by Kavisha Mazzella,the event celebrated one hundred years of women’s rights to vote in Victoria, Australia - Maribel approached Mary Crooks, Executive Director of VWT who realized the common thread between the music of Tarka and ‘Our Watermark” book. Thus began a collaboration between Spring Studio, The Victorian Women’s Trust and The Boite.
Tarka the music – Watermark the book
Tarka, which literally means ‘wandering as water’ - is a modern symphony in three movements, first performed and recorded by members of The London Philharmonic and BBC National Orchestras in 1978. Co-composers Harry Williamson and Anthony Phillips also play on the recording, inspired to write the music in 1976 as a homage to Henry Williamson’s classic book ‘Tarka the Otter’. His magical descriptions of the natural world have helped open the eyes of so many to the beauty of England’s West country.
Watermark – is an informative and thoroughly researched book produced by The Victorian Women’s Trust (VWT) as a ‘wake up call’ to the citizens of Australia to become actively involved with plans and projects to conserve precious water supplies.
The world premier performance of Tarka in Melbourne in 2010 is a unique opportunity to ‘make a beautiful noise’ and awaken our community with actions aimed at conserving our most essential resource!
The collaborative spirit
With the seeds of possibilities now sown, Harry and Anthony found themselves collaborating all over again, after 30 years! The scores were retrieved from their various hiding places in the UK and Australia and dusted off for revision – it would need re-scoring in places, the original manuscripts having lain dormant for so long. Frequent emails between the composers ensued as Anthony checked his guitar parts with his original score before posting his corrections to Harry 12,000 miles away in Australia. The two friends meticulously compared notes and sometimes, relying on their memories of the different orchestral parts rewrote small sections via the modern day invention of the internet.
Anthony’s corrected scores arrived safely in February 2009, in several huge packages, and Harry took on transcribing the 600 bars of Movements One and Two into the music notation program Sibelius, so that little changes and improvements could be easily achieved, and Movement Three was re-checked over note by note in London by Anthony Phillips.
The work in progress
The complete Tarka Movements One, Two, Three and final Anthem are almost ready to be handed over to Gerald Keuneman, conductor for The Whitehorse Orchestra, who will begin their rehearsals later this year in preparation for this unique music event in February 2010.
The concert, which will be more like an amazing music festival held on one day, has growing support and is generating excitement from various well known Melbourne based musicians (see below).
The organizers are working well like a team of industrious ants as this project begins to really take shape and funds are sought and links are made with other supporting organizations.
The concert + Guest Artists
Internationally renowned guitarist, Doug De Vries has graciously taken on the challenge of learning Anthony Phillip’s part in altered tunings as Anthony cannot be here for the concert. Harry and Doug will be joint soloists with The Whitehorse Orchestra for the world premiere performance of Tarka.
The music feast does not end here! – in the second half of the concert we are very happy to announce our other highly acclaimed artists:
Ruby Hunter
Doug de Vries
Invention In Time
Kavisha Mazzella
Michael Johnson, Frank Jones,
Frank Jones
Northern Voice Choir
Mary Crooks will write and deliver a public narrative around the theme of water that will weave its way in and around the performances in the second half of the concert with a grand finale song led by Kavisha not to be missed!
The World Premiere Live Performance of Tarka – coming in 2010
WHERE: The MelbourneTown Hall
WHEN: Saturday 27th February 2010
TIMES: 2pm + 7.30pm
Bookings: Greentix
Future plans
As interest, enthusiasm and support is growing every day for this project both in Australia and in the UK, particularly the region of North Devon in ‘Tarka Country’, Harry and Maribel are planning the filming of a documentary ‘The making of Tarka’ with a filming trip to UK later this year to gather footage for screening at the concert.
Local images from around Victoria will also be captured as visual support material for the second half of the concert.
If you would like further information or are interested in becoming an active support in any way for the Tarka Project please contact:
Maribel Steel
Co-ordinator
Tarka Project
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
