In her final year of high school, Angela collaborated with composer John Rotar and The Australian Voices on her choral piece The Crow and the Lily at the TAV Young Composer School and was named a finalist in the Queensland Conservatorium’s “Score It!” competition for her sinfonietta Cadence.During her first year in university, Angela was awarded the prestigious Percy Brier Memorial Prize. Her winning symphonic piece, Overture: Pandemonium, was performed by the University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).Angela’s chamber work Nocturne for clarinet, violin, and cello premiered at the UQ Art Museum as part of the “Music Meets Art: Entangled Worlds” exhibition, a feature of the UQ School of Music’s Spectrum Festival. Nocturne was also performed a second time in the same year as a part of Ensemble Q’s new “Soundscapes and Stories: One Day Festival” alongside composers such as Joe Twist, Sarah Hopkins, and Melody Eötvös.Angela currently studies composition under Paul Dean and is an active member of Sketch as a violinist. She also performs as a violist under his baton with the University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

Chamber

• Chamber
• Orchestral
• Choral
• Solo/Duo
• Screen

My piece Nocturne is inspired by the dark and ominous nature of the unknown. It seeks to capture the night-like essence of uncertainty — a vast, shadowy space where nothing can be seen and only heard. Each motion feels amplified, creating the feeling of unease and invites one to sit with discomfort and explore the profound mystery and beauty that lies hidden in darkness. Through the interplay of silence and agitation, I aim to evoke the tension that exists within the night hour and unknown. I also aim to encapsulate the ominous and dark ethereal sounds of the night in this piece.

The slow feeling of emptiness evolves into the dramatic and chaotic madness of the feeling of forever. When is the end? When will it be over? Eternity evolves and manifests in many different ways and consumes the mind.

Orchestral

• Chamber
• Orchestral
• Choral
• Solo/Duo
• Screen

Were dreams only meant to be dreamt? Or were they meant to be fulfilled? There is always something quite tragic about letting go of unfulfilled dreams and the culmination of many choices that have gone away in an instant. In the past couple of years, I have watched those close to me chase their childhood dreams that were already broken once before just to feel a sense of accomplishment. I decided to incorporate their determination and resilience into Rising from the Ruins, such that the piece would bring a sense of accomplishment through dynamic runs and chords that would reignite a melody rising above the challenges. It is also a reminder to immerse in the journey rather than fret about the results.

My piece Overture: Pandemonium is inspired by my personal experience navigating the chaotic transition into adulthood. As I moved into the next major stage of my life, the overwhelming noise of university, work and the ever-expanding online world became more present — the ambient sounds of phones texting, trains crossing, ears ringing, rain and thunder and more. Almost like a kind of organised chaos. I aim to capture these fluctuating waves of chaos — with moments of intensity and confusion and the occasional sense of fleeting calm through rhythmically dissonant motifs and deceptive serenity. I also aim to mirror the tension, agitation, and rare stillness found that shape modern life.

“Legend of the Tides” is a theme with variations that follows the ebb and flow of the ever-changing flow of an ocean tide. It is unpredictable, majestic and has a life of its own. It embraces the mysterious and ominous of an early morning tide along with a majestic waltz. The ocean is alive and full of life harsh, complex and agitating surging tides.

Solo/Duo

• Chamber
• Orchestral
• Choral
• Solo/Duo
• Screen

Moonbow is a piece inspired by the delicate concave shape of the colourful light refractions from the moon. A calm, graceful interpretive dance with a simple melody that presents itself in waves of ebb and flow, along with a sense of playfulness intertwined throughout. This piece evokes a whimsy sense of fragility and was created with sections of adrenaline and excitement in mind as this was originally performed for the elderly, some with dementia.

Screen

• Chamber
• Orchestral
• Choral
• Solo/Duo
• Screen

Sketch Ensemble collaborate with the UQ Centre for Western Civilisation to bring this silent-era film to life. It is part of a yearly tradition for the ensemble to collaborate with the Centre for Western Civilisation in their interdisciplinary practice.

Magical and mystical moments such as musical birds and parting trees opening to reveal a colourful landscape away from the garden. Cadence (2023) reflects such a sad reality and the full sound of the symphony orchestra paints the story displaying the duality of the world we live in.Description of Animation:
Azar and her young daughter Nedah share a sheltered life in a home surrounded by trees. Their routine is disrupted when Nedah encounters a bird’s curious chirping; she innocently repeats its cadence causing the trees that confine their garden to part and reveal an outside world of wonder. With Nedah wanting to explore this new world, and Azar terrified of what lies ahead for her youngest child, will Azar once again repeat her mistakes?Writer and Director: Ava Rasouli-Matin
Producer: Amy Ni

Choral

• Chamber
• Orchestral
• Choral
• Solo/Duo
• Screen

“The Crow and The Lily” revolves around the storyline of the forbidden friendship between a crow and a lily. “The Crow”, represents such a sad and lonely creature with the feeling of pure sorrow. “The Lily” mimics growing flowers and blooming passion and potential.