Fantasia VIII - SOLO BSN

ABOUT THE MUSIC

This bassoon solo is titled Fantasia due to the nature of its free and improvisatory construction. In three movements, the fantasia pushes the bassoon to its limits to create streams of contrasting colour, shifts in character, and small motives which are moved around like puzzle pieces. It is a journey of struggle and triumph, and so slight liberties in tempo are encouraged. It was written for bassoon legend, Matthew Kneale. His boundless enthusiasm, passion, and energy served as the inspiration for the piece.

Written in 2022

Duration: 11 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Dedication note: Dedicated to Matthew Kneale

Commission note: Commissioned by Geoff Stern, Joan and Barry Miskin, Elise Callander, Jennifer Bryce, and Tony Thomas.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER

Elizabeth Younan (1994) is an Australian composer from Sydney. She was a featured Australian composer of Musica Viva's 2020 and 2018 International Concert Seasons, where her String Quartet No. 2 (2020) and her Piano Sonata (2018) received their worldwide premieres by the Chen Family Quartet and Van Cliburn silver medallist Joyce Yang, respectively. Elizabeth's violin solo, "...your heart dreams of spring" is featured on Jennifer Koh's album, "Alone Together" which won the "Best Classical Instrumental Solo" at the 2022 GRAMMY awards.  

Accolades include an ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award for her Woodwind Quintet No. 2, "Kismet" (2021), the Kendall National Violin Competition's Watermark Composition Prize for her Microsonata No. II for Violin and Piano (2020), two Willgoss Prize Commissions in association with The University of Sydney and The University of New South Wales (2020), the 102.5 Fine Music and Willoughby Symphony Young Composer Award for her Clarinet Concerto (2016), and the Jean Bogan Youth Prize for her Five Persian Preludes (2014).

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Music in Composition with First Class Honours (2015) and a Master of Music (2018) from The Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney ("The Con"), where she studied with composer Carl Vine AO. Whilst at The Con, Elizabeth was awarded the Ignaz Friedman Memorial Prize (2014) and the prestigious Australian Postgraduate Award (2016-2018) as part of her Masters degree. Elizabeth recently graduated from her composition studies at the renowned Curtis Institute of Music, which all students attend on full scholarship. She held the Jimmy Brent Fellowship, and upon graduation received the Charles Miller "Alfredo Casella Award" for composition. Elizabeth is the first Australian composer to gain acceptance into the Curtis Institute. She studied with Dr. Jennifer Higdon, Dr. David Ludwig, Dr. Richard Danielpour, and Dr. Amy Beth Kirsten. Elizabeth currently teaches composition and musicology at her high school, Santa Sabina College (class of 2011).