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I am nearing the end of the Peter Grimes season, with one performance to go. It has been a consistent run, with orchestra and chorus doing well and some good performances amongst the soloists. The only really disappointing thing has been the low audience attendance. Britten is traditionally a poor seller here, and for this production there was little or no publicity. Opera Australia seems to have the attitude of "it won't sell anyway, so we won't waste money", in which case why put it on at all? Merely to give some sort of balance to the year in their 2001 booklet? A pity, as for some at least (e.g. the orchestra) it is probably the highlight of an otherwise pretty boring year.

I am already spending long hours at the computer, reformatting the Symphony for Southern Music. Then I can get on with the composition of the commissioned Songs Without Words for saxophone quartet and band. The premiere is scheduled for March the 23rd, 2002, in Reno, Nevada. Tim Salzman of the University Of Washington has organised the consortium for this - thanks Tim!

The first new Southern Music publications will be Ceremonial Fanfares (for brass quintet, due out this month) and Olympic Fireworks (for wind band, for release a bit later).

My new fanfare Southern Cross has been well received by conductor Steve Williams and his band. The premiere will be on August the 11th.