Natalie Williams' symphonic celebration of Bradman
Luke Dollman, Natalie Williams and Greta Bradman following the performance of Our Don
Bachelor of Music graduate (Hons 1999) Natalie Williams was recently commissioned to compose a聽new symphonic work honouring the life and achievements of Australian icon, Sir Donald Bradman AC.
Presented by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO) on 14 August, the multi-media orchestral tribute,聽聽was interwoven with stunning archival video, and words by Bradman biographer, Peter Allen.
Natalie鈥檚 specially commissioned score was conducted by fellow graduate Luke Dollman (BMus (Hons) 1996) and included a performance of Golijov鈥檚聽Songs聽by another distinguished music graduate, Greta Bradman (BMus 2002, BA (Hons) 2004),聽acclaimed soprano and grand-daughter of the cricketing legend.
Natalie鈥檚 relationship with the ASO has been a long and fruitful one, having written five new orchestral pieces for them since 1999.
鈥淎s a South Australian composer and artist, I am thrilled and humbled to be chosen to create this new multi-media orchestral work,鈥 says Natalie.
鈥淭he opportunity to celebrate the life of a truly great Australian (and South Australian resident), Sir Donald Bradman, has been a wonderful experience.
鈥淗is life and achievements meant so much to the nation and I am honoured to have this chance to tell his story through musical means.鈥
Natalie hopes that this piece becomes a part of South Australian history itself and the first of more orchestral works that celebrate the lives of great Australians.
Currently based in the United States, Natalie is working as a visiting Assistant Professor in Music Composition and Theory on the faculty of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music, at the University of Georgia.
Following her undergraduate degrees at the 成人大片 and graduate study at the University of Melbourne, Natalie sought further graduate training (international) in composition. She was accepted into the doctoral degree at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University in 2006 and has lived between the USA and Australia since then.
Natalie has been privileged to work with the Omaha Symphony orchestra and the Atlanta Opera and is currently serving as the National Student Chapters coordinator for the Society of Composers, Inc., overseeing the activities of student composers across the country.
Along with this, Natalie teaches graduate and undergraduate music theory classes, counterpoint, harmony, composition and also assistant-directs the new music ensemble at the University of Georgia.
Reflecting upon her studies,聽Natalie says that it was聽at the 成人大片鈥檚 Elder Conservatorium of Music where she established foundational skills and techniques for her future career.
鈥淚t was here that I was first exposed to the plethora of sounds from the twentieth-century musical literature, and encouraged to listen and explore widely,鈥 she says.
鈥淢y teachers were inspiring mentors who taught me to have an open mind, listen to everything, read everything, assess everything and ultimately make my own artistic decisions from a wide aesthetic basis.
鈥淭heir guidance and expertise remained influential steps in my development as a composer and I am indebted to them for their mentorship during my undergraduate years.鈥