Vocal music

 

voice and ensemble

  • Libretto by Daniel Szesiong Todd.

    Commissioned by Forest Collective.

    Dedicated to Danaë Killian.

    Premiered February 2024 by Forest Collective at Abbotsford Convent as part of Midsumma Festival.
    Also presetned by Forest Collective in February 2025 at Abbotsford Convent, as part of Midsumma Festival.

    Roles
    High Voice (Tenor) - Theseus
    High Voice (Soprano) - Ariadne
    Lower Voice (Mezzo Soprano/Counter Tenor/Baritone) - Daedelus 
    Piano soloist - Minotaur/Asterion
    Alto Flute, doubling on Flute
    Viola
    Fixed Electronics

    For further information, click here.

  • Libretto by Nicole Butcher.

    Commissioned by Forest Collective.

    Dedicated to Ashley Thompson.

    Premiered November 2022 by Forest Collective and BK Opera at Abbotsford Convent.

    Roles
    3 High Voices (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano and Countertenor)
    3 Low Voices (Tenor, Baritone and Bass-Baritone)

    For further information, click here.

  • Text by Claire Tipy.

    Dedicated to Ryan Lynch.

    Voices can be divided in a standard SAB combination, or into 3 groups of high, medium and low voices.

    Purchase the score.

  • Text by Claire Tippy

    For High voice, low voice, S.Sax.
    Commissioned by Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.
    Premiered online in 2021, developed and recorded in Aix-en-Provence, directed by Geordie Brookman.

    For further information, click here.
    Purchase the score.

  • Libretto devised by the Composer from the libretto’s of Orfeo ed Euridice, Ranieri de' Calzabigi, L'Orfeo, Alessandro Striggio and words by Phemocles and William Shakespeare.

    Dedicated to Mum & Dad.

    Roles
    High Voice (Tenor/Soprano) - Orpheus
    Medium to High Voice (Mezzo Soprano/Baritone) - Eurydice
    Lower Voice (Mezzo Soprano/Counter Tenor/Baritone) - Calaïs 

    Commissioned by Forest Collective, Abbotsford Convent, Midsumma Festival, Density512 & Prismatx Ensemble

    Premiered February 2019 by Forest Collective at Abbotsford Convent as part of Midsumma Festival.
    U.S.A. debut performance June 2019 by Prismatx Ensemble and Density 512.

    For further information, click here.

  • Dedicated to Justine Anderson & Peter Neville.

    Text by Nicole Butcher
    Soprano voice, Harp, Piano/Celesta and 4 Percussionists (Vbs. Mrmb. Crtls. Glock. T.Bel.)

    Premiered 27 October 2017 by the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Percussion Ensemble, Justine Anderson soprano, and conducted by Guy de Blet.

  • Dedicated to Igor Mihajlovic

    Text by Oscar Wilde, from The Duchess of Padua

    For Flute, Soprano voice, and Harp. 
    Also a version for Alto Flute, Mezzo-Soprano voice, and Harp.

    Commissioned by SoundSCAPE New Music Festival, Italy
    Premiered by Cochlea Duo and Katelyn Isaacson, Soprano July 2015
    Written while a Bayside Artist in Residence, Bayside City Council.
    Australian premiere performance by Rosemary Ball Soprano, Tanya Vincent Flute and Jessica Fotinos Harp as a part of the 2016 Forest Collective concert series.
    U.K. premiere performance by The Erda Ensemble, Marta Fontanals-Simmons (mezzo-soprano), Chloë Vincent (flute) and Olivia Jageurs (harp), 14 September 2024.

    Purchase the score (soprano version).
    Purchase the score (mezzo-soprano version).

  • Dedicated to Benjamin Northey.

    Text derived from the libretto of Orfeo ed Euridice, Ranieri de' Calzabigi and L'Orfeo, Alessandro Striggio.

    Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, 2 voices of any range or style, Harp, 3 Violins, one doubling Viola and Percussion (B.D. Gng. Wind Chimes).
    Version for Flute/Piccolo/Alto Flute/Bass Flute, Clarinet, Soprano Recorder/Alto Recorder/Contra Bass Recorder/Bass Recorder, 2 voices of any range or style, Percussion (B.D. Gng. Tri. Wind chimes), Harp, Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass.

    Commissioned by Forest Collective.
    Premie    red by Forest Collective at their 2015 concert Moonfall May 2015 at Melbourne Recital Centre as a part of the Metropolis New Music Festival, Rosemary Ball & Teresa Duddy soprano solos, conducted by the composer.
    Written while a Bayside Artist in Residence, Bayside City Council
    Also performed by Forest Collective at their 2018 concert, Berceuse at Church of All Nations, Daniel Szesiong Todd tenor & Aleise Bright soprano.

    Purchase the score.

    “Another standout moment in tonight’s program is Evan’s Part III from Orpheus for two voices and ensemble.” — Anni Kalco, CutCommon

    “...Lawson’s usual lush sound palette is stripped back and spread about the room. The spatial distribution of the ensemble is some of the most effective that I have heard.” — Matthew Lorenzon, Partial Durations

  • Dedicated to the memory of Joe Waterman.

    Text from The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare.

    For 2 Sopranos, Mezzo-Soprano, Harp, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello and Double Bass.
    Commissioned by Forest Collective. 
    Premiered by Forest Collective at their 2014 concert, Flooding in the Garden, December 2014, Rosemary Ball, Stefanie Dingnis & Christine Storey, soprano soloists.

    “The premier of Lawson’s Winter Canticle proved the highpoint of the evening. Violin and harp created the texture of feet treading lightly on the forest floor while voices, starting softly, gradually increased in intensity to form whispers of text from Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale. While experimental, the music was by no means difficult on the ear, and the various layers of fricatives, half-formed words, soaring high notes and interjections from the ensemble were impressively executed with dramatic effect.” — Alexandra Mathew, Limelight Magazine

    “The piece is a reworking of previous material, taking the emotional structure of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale as a formal basis. An introductory episode of drones and vocalises gives way to an astounding rhythmic explosion. The three vocalists declare “Winter!” as febrile string phrases scurry about. The voices speak and whisper phrases from the play in an emotional polyphony, accompanied by energetic scrubbing in the strings. Lawson has learnt well from his twentieth-century heroes including Britten and Vaughan Williams; even at its dynamic peak the ensemble is always colourful, transparent and mobile.” — Matthew Lorenzon, Partial Durations

  • Libretto by Samuel Yeo

    Dedicated to, and commissioned and premiered by Forest Collective, November 2013 at Abbotsford Convent.

    Roles
    Mezzo Soprano - Calypso
    Tenor - Odysseys
    Baritone - Uriel
    Soprano - Artemis
    Soprano - Athena

    For further information, click here.

  • Text by the composer.

    Flute/Piccolo, Clarinet, Bassoon, Piano/Celesta, Harp, Baritone voice, Violin, and Cello.

    Premiere performance sung by the composer, conducted by Christine Storey, at VCA November 2008.
    Also performed by Joe Coghlan, November 2010, at VCA, conducted by the composer.
    And by Forest Collective, May 2011, sung by the composer and conducted by Louis Sharpe

    Purchase the score.

 

voice, with or without accompaniment