December 2011
Sororal Recording Begins
Three days in December were spent recording rhythm section instruments for the Sororal score. Two drum kits, electric cello, vibraphone and cimbalom were used as the core of some of the more driving cues in the film.
Ten piece brass and choir will be recorded early in the new year to go with modular synth elements. Sororal features an eclectic mix of prog rock, Kraut rock, atonal and Bulgarian influences.
October 2011
Calsquared Perform The 4th Step
Vibraphonist Callum Moncrieff performs my new composition The Fourth Step for solo vibraphone on the 14th of October 2011 in the foyer, Central Institute Of Technology, Aberdeen st Northbridge. He will also be performing music for trumpet and vibraphone as one half of Calsquared.
September 2011
Soundscrips Vol. 3
My paper titled "Scoring Ménilmontant - new world soundscapes with French Impressionist cinema" has been published in Soundscrips Vol. 3
The paper explores some of the techniques used by myself in scoring Dimitri Kirsanoff's 1926 silent film Ménilmontant. Soundscrips is edited by Cat Hope and contains the proceedings of the 2009 Totally Huge New Music Festival Conference.
The journal can be purchased here.
A PDF version is available for download here.
Noize Maschin!!! #3
I perform my first ever experimental noise set at Noize Maschin #3 on September 15 at the Perth Artifactory. Noize Maschin is an experimental night of noise music that brings together experimental sound artists, musicians and groups interested in the visceral power of sound.
My set will be constructed from a 1982 Sequential Circuits analogue synthesizer and Doepfer modular synth drenched in reverb.
The 3rd Noize Maschin!!! is officially part of the 10th Totally Huge New Music Festival presented by Tura New Music.
For more information visit the Artifactory website or Tura.
Vibraphone Commission
Percussionist Callum Moncrieff and his family have commissioned me to write a new work for vibraphone.
The Fourth Step for vibraphone and cassette tape will contain text adapted from the novel Choke by Chuck Palahniuk.
August 2011
Sororal begins
After a four week break holidaying in Europe I have begun work on my third feature film score. Sororal directed by Sam Barrett is a Italian Giallo inspired supernatural thriller set in the 1970s.
The score will be composed for choir, brass, synth and rhythm section and will draw influence from early electroacoustic music, krautrock, and prog rock (among others). The score will also contain spatial elements and be recorded in surround sound.
My chamber work Sororal was composed based on the dramaturgy of Barrett's screen play and performed by WASO's Echo Chamber Ochestra. Elements of this work will be used in the film score.
June 2011
Decibel Performs Agerasia
One of Australia's foremost new music ensembles Decibel will be performing my new work Agerasia at the second concert in their 2011 series.
Agerasia is a 10min work for cello, bass clarinet and four prepared vinyl records. Sustained tones often fade from cello to bass clarinet and meandering melody fragments in the cello are offset by stuttering passages from the bass clarinet. All of this inscribed on a cosmic background of static noise, skipping fragments of 80s pop music and percussive clicks and pops by way of the three vinyl records.
Decibel perform in Perth on Monday, June 20, 8pm PICA, in the main Gallery Space.
April 2011
Retirement Announcement & Album Release
After "cutting-my-teeth" on fifteen short films in the space of six years, I've decided to retire from short film work as undefeated champion. My efforts will now be concentrated solely on feature films and various other musical projects.
In celebration of my retirement I have decided to release the majority of my short film output (along with one feature length film score) on a free MP3 album.
Used & Abused - the selected low budget film scores of Christopher de Groot has been drawn from fourteen short film scores and one feature length score. The album contains a mammoth 60 tracks and comes complete with album art work and liner notes. Enjoy!
February 2011
WASA Nomination
My score for Sam Barrett's feature film Esoterica has been nominated for Best Original Music Composition at the 2011 Western Australian Screen Awards. Esoterica has also been nominated for Best Film and Best Cinematography.
This is my third WASA nomination in as many years:
2009 - Best Original Music Composition (win) "The Director's Cut"
2010 - Best Original Music Composition (nomination) "Crow's Feet"
2011 - Best Original Music Composition (nomination) "Esoterica"
A full list of nominees can be found
here
January 2011
Sir Thomas Play Adelaide
On the back of several successful shows last year, Sir Thomas will be playing two gigs in Adelaide. ST are a unique band consisting of two keyboards, bass, drums, and vocals. Our music blends driving ostinato rhythms, layered textures and odd time signatures with well crafted lyrics and catchy melodies.
When: Friday January 21, 2011 (8:30pm)
Where: Wheatsheaf Hotel, 39 George Street Thebarton Adelaide, Australia
Cost: $10 at the door
AFTRS Film Score
Throughout January I will be writing music for Megan Palinkas' short film The Big Tip. Shot on location in Collingwood, Melbourne, the film is a beautiful tip-of-the-cap to classic noir films... but with a twist.
Palinkas has studied and worked as an actor in New York and has stared in numerous short and feature length films. She recently finished studying at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) where she applied her talents as a director.
This is the second collaboration between myself and Palinkas, the first being the very successful Crow's Feet (2010).
