Duncan, Eve (1956 - )

The composer writes:

'Behind the material world one senses a deeper world of inspiration, mathematics, spiritual beings, living physical and psychological archetypes; a living, breathing reality of invisibility. Contemporary music composition is the means by which I swim through this sea of complex activity, trying to understand what influences human, animal and mineral evolution.

My music is architecturally conceived; however I allow the individuality of specific musicians to strongly influence melody, rhythm, harmonic motion and texture: they are a huge and rich living resource!'

Eve Duncan was born on September 19, 1956. She graduated with Honours in Music Composition from La Trobe University in 1990 after working with Theodore Dollarhide and Keith Humble. In 1992 she was awarded the International Modern Music Award for Composition, Vienna, for a work for solo violin.

Recent commissions include Rhapsody of Motion , a project which will take place in 2001, exploring the multiple levels of Federation and using the text of Aboriginal poet Lisa Bellear. Star Traiect - a work expressing northern and southern hemisphere star movements - is another new commission for the Romanian Ensemble Traiect.

International festival performances include the 2000 International Meetings of New Music Festival, Braila, 1999 ISCM World Music Days, 1999 Asia Week Yokohama, Tunungan '97, Manila, 1995 Bangkok Music Festival, the Summer Seminar for New Music, Vienna 1994, and 1994 International Days of New Music Festival, Moldova. Australian performances include the 1998 Melbourne International Festival, and the 1994 Performing Women's Festival.

Commissions include Ensemble Passacaglia Wien, Ensemble Troika, Trio Kinetikon, Carinya Strings, the City of Port Phillip, ChiaHong Drapal Liao, Andrei Podlacha, Stefan Feingold, Danae Killian, Timothy Veldman, Helfried Fister and Peter Neville.

A solo CD Recorded Messages: Violin is available on the Move label. Light Up for string quartet, Not Yet for woodwinds and Where are you Now? for guitar duet are published by RedHouse Editions.

She lives by the Yarra River in Melbourne with her family.

Work

• Remembering Mirrabooka ( 14 March, 1999)
• Tiger Snake and Runner of Light (2001)