Present, Past, Future
Instrumentation:
Picc, 2 Fl, 2 ob, cor, 2 cl, bcl, 2 bsn, contrabsn, 4 horns, 3 tpt, 2 trb, bass trb, tuba, timp, 3 perc, harp, strings
Year composed:
2022
Duration:
30:00
Commissioned by:
Queensland Youth Orchestras for the Queensland Youth Symphony's 2022 Concert Series
Premiere:
28 May 2022. QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
Program Note:
Present, Past, Future was composed in 2021-2022 for the Queensland Youth Symphony. The piece comprises three movements that explore concepts of the present, the past and the future. Each movement draws inspiration from a different poem.
Movement I (Present) is based on the poem ‘In the bus’ from Fragments by Antigone Kefala, in which the author observes the fleeting nature of time. The second movement (Past) is inspired by Richard James Allen’s poem ‘The Road to Utopia’ from More Lies. Through a series of vivd images, the author instructs the reader to undo the past to reach utopia. He concludes that if this is not possible then perhaps the solution is to have been born in better times. The final movement (Future) is based on Antigone Kefala’s poem ‘Metro cellist’ from Fragments. This poem is a celebration of exuberant youthfulness and optimism for the future, reflected in the nature of the music.
Present, Past, Future was commissioned by Queensland Youth Orchestras for the Queensland Youth Symphony to premiere under the direction of Simon Hewett at the QPAC Concert Hall as part of the 2022 QYS Concert Series.
