Composers
Thomas McConochie
Dr Thomas McConochie was awarded a doctorate in philosophy from the University of New South Wales in 2017. That same year, Thomas was also awarded an Associate in Music, Australia (AMusA) diploma in horn performance by the Australian Music Examinations Board. In addition to studying at the ANU School of Music, Thomas has also received advice and guidance from professional composers such as Jim Cotter, Andrew Schultz, and Daniel Rojas.
Thomas composes music in styles ranging from neoclassical, postmodern, minimalist, jazz, and world music. His compositions that feature the horn (Thomas’ main instrument) have been particularly well received worldwide as have his pieces that features contrabassoon as a soloist instrument. Hornists who specialise in natural horn especially appreciate Thomas’ period compositions for the instrument, such as his sonatas and horn concertos. This has resulted in some interesting commissions such as the Sonata for Natural Horn and Cello and Variations on Tasmania Waltz, for natural horn and fortepiano, as well as Hunting Songs in an Australian Landscape, for natural horn, soprano, and piano. Some of Thomas’ period compositions for natural horn are available on commercial recordings such as New Wine in an Old Bottle, released by Move Records and available on Spotify.
Thomas’ Balinese-Western fusion music has impressed both performers and audiences alike. In 2017, the North Sydney Symphony Orchestra commissioned Thomas to compose an original work for the orchestra’s gala concert that year. The resulting work, Starry Night Over Ubud, combines aspects of Balinese gamelan music with Western orchestral music. In 2018, Thomas composed an original work for the Suara Jaya Balinese Gamelan Ensemble at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. His composition, Gilak Mas (Golden Gilak), is an innovative piece of modern gamelan music based on older gamelan musical forms. In 2021, Thomas’ piece, Symphony No.2 (Balinese Symphony) was awarded a 3rd place prize in the Franz Schubert Konzervatorium’s composition competition.
Thomas continues the tradition of the composer-performer. He has recorded many of his works featuring the horn and uploaded them to his YouTube channel. Thomas appears regularly playing horn with National Capital Orchestra.
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