Hovercraft (2025)

for theremin, strings, and percussion

Duration: 9’

Commissioned by the Australian Chamber Orchestra to be first performed by Carolina Eyck and the ACO

World premiere 8 May 2025

National Concert Season Dates

8 May, Wollongong Town Hall, NSW, 7:30pm

10 May, City Recital Hall, Sydney, NSW, 7pm

11 May, Sydney Opera House, NSW, 2pm

12 May QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane, QLD, 7pm

13 May, City Recital Hall, Sydney, NSW, 8pm

14 May, City Recital Hall, Sydney, NSW, 7pm

17 May, Melbourne Recital Centre, VIC, 7:30pm

18 May, Arts Centre Melbourne, VIC, 2:30pm

19 May Melbourne Recital Centre, VIC, 7:30pm

20 May, Llewellyn Hall, Canberra, ACT, 7:30pm

Program Note

The theremin is an extraordinary instrument that almost defies belief. Hovercrafts are amphibious, almost science-fiction-like vehicles, capable of traversing water, land, snow, and mud: they literally hover on a cushion of air. I see many similarities between this instrument and invention. This piece reimagines the hovercraft as more airborne than intended! A hovercraft through the looking-glass, capable of soaring heights. A hovercraft that isn’t afraid to get down and dirty. In this way, the title itself pays homage to the way the theremin is played – both literally and metaphorically - an acknowledgement of the pure magic of producing a sound from thin air.

I sought to write a work that enjoys the idiosyncratic blips and beeps of the theremin, showcasing its quirky side, but also highlighting its versatility. At times, I’ve treated the theremin like a voice, glissing in and out of operatic mode, and then contrasting this with rumbling, gurgling synthesiser sounds. Stylistically, the piece embraces my disco string obsession of accented stabs and four-to-the-floor grooves, and combines this with twisted rhythms, big riffs, and rapid mood changes. The theremin ducks and weaves with lyrical lines and dirty grunge, all while conversing with grooving and strobing strings.