1. Space Junk

Music of Space and Time

Congratulations. That was a wonderful broadcast.  I listened intently. Your playing/performance came over as so expressive  –  at times powerful, at times thoughtful, at times poetic  –  the full gamut.

Quite a coup to have the CD featured so soon after it has been released. Ann Carr-Boyd

A new recording of music that transports the listener to other worlds. Imagine astral bodies in many different forms, colours and shapes.  Travel back in time to remember the joy, play and innocence of childhood with the two Percy suites, and hear the story of the amazing Royal Flying Doctor Service, now over 90 years old, told in music. An ancient Chinese travelling band and the art of knitting Japanese-style are in there as well.

Music by Ann Carr-Boyd and Diana Blom

Performers: Diana Weston (piano, harpsichord), Mary Sambell (piano, percussion), Joanne Arnott (recorder), Angus Ryan (cello)

Available from:

Wirripang

or diana.thoroughbass@gmail.com

Space Junk is available as digital download from:

Spotify

Amazon Music

Tidal

Gobuz

‘Miss Lucy Havens requests the pleasure of your company’ invites you to be transported back in time to the days of Australia’s European settlement and hear the music that entertained the early colonialists.

Radio Fine Music presenter Michael Field comments..

‘I have listened to the CD since and think it is quite delightful and probably unique in the Australian CD catalogue.’

Available as CD from:

Wirripang

or diana.thoroughbass@gmail.com

Available as a digital download from

Spotify

Amazon

Apple

Discogs

YouTube.

Sample here:

Wirripang

Review from 2 MBS Fine Music

Fine Music Review

ClassikOn

‘I’m listening to it now. What a sensuous sound. You and Shaun make a perfect ensemble. You demonstrate the capabilities of the Broadwood so sensitively.’ Richard Perrignon, organist, choir director, St John’s College, in the grounds of Sydney University

CD available from:

Wirripang

or diana.thoroughbass@gmail.com

Digital download from:

Spotify

Youtube

https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kaOk6-0SKUjJ2hcbpCDhyBLJL486F44j0

Apple Music

Google Play

Magpie Baby book emerged out of Nadje’s Noordhuis’ children’s suite of the same name. With line drawings and pastel wash by Kym Burrows and text by Diana Weston it is transformed into a musical story about the first year of childhood.

‘Like the curious magpie did, visit Anna Dorothy as she finds she can do more and more things. She can wiggle her toes, then she can sit up all by herself. Before you know it, she’s running to and fro. You can see all her activity in drawings that Anna Dorothy coloured in herself, or you can listen to the story read out loud on the cd. But best of all, you can hear it in Anna Dorothy’s very own music.’

Available from: diana.thoroughbass@gmail.com

and Sydney String Centre

Digital download:

Amazon

Booktopia

QVB

‘The Music Box Series brings classical music to life through captivating stories.’ New Frontier

Backyard Friends is a unique new ebook by Diana Weston, published by Little Steps. James explores his backyard with his friends who happen to be a dog, a cat, a lizard and a butterfly. Brought to life in songs by May Howlett.

Backyard Friends is a multi-dimensional publication designed to stimulate learning in the just-reading child by making connections between music and words and music and stories. As an app on ipad or tablet it is an interactive and self-directed learning-tool for every young child’s enquiring mind.

Available at:

Wirripang

As digital download at:

Spotify

Youtube Music

Discogs

Apple

Anthony Gilbert (British composer) says:

‘I’ve now had a chance to listen to both discs, and have to say I enjoyed every minute! All this freshness, variety within a mysterious consistency of approach, the energy, the colours, all give me a big buzz. And the playing is superb. I particularly like Diana Weston’s technique and sense of rhythm in all the styles, and what mystifies me is the dynamic range of the harpsichord – one can even hear crescendos! And Danielle Grant’s interpretations – especially her French, which is so much better…. (I claim to be a specialist in that language!).’

This double CD includes an eclectic mix of works by Ann Carr-Boyd composed for the most part during the 1970s. Stylistically varied, the recording contains 2 collections of folksongs, artsongs, solos and chamber music for harpsichord, violin, cello, voice and recorders, often with room for percussion. Two new compositions are also featured – ‘Flying West’ and ‘Wisp of Cloud’. ‘Flying West’ was composed for Thoroughbass and is based on a day in the life of a doctor working for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Review of Fandango Returns (2019) including Flying West Loudmouth reporter Mandy Stepanakis says:

‘Joanne Arnott on recorder, Angus Ryan playing cello and harpsichordist Diana Weston perform superbly on Flying West, a series of short pieces composed in 2014. The pieces work their way from the baroque sound so indicative of this instrument combination in the opening piece to more adventurous offerings, Wings From the Sky, being particularly evocative and requiring technically acute precision.’

Flying West double CD is available from Wirripang for $30 plus postage, and as Digital Download from Naxos USA.

For concert reviews see

Paul Nolan, Sydney Arts Guide: ‘The multi-faceted ‘Flying West’ project contributes significantly to the preservation of Australian composition. All works recorded on the companion CD, including those not able to fit into the one concert, have been typeset by Stephen Bydder from Carlisle Print and Publishing. They have been attractively published as separate performance-ready pieces by Wirripang Pty Ltd, who specialise in publishing Australian music.’

Classikon

Sydney Arts Guide