Jane Darcey Classical Guitarist

The Billabong Suite (guitar ensemble including requinto) was written for my guitar ensembles - Dragonfly was dedicated to the Helena College Guitar Ensemble and Waterlilies to Professor David Tunley, whose love of the Baroque and all things French was an inspiration for this piece. Cascades has references to themes from the first two movements, to tie the whole suite together. The beautiful picture was painted by Mary Spry, a member of the WA Classical Guitar Orchestra.

Pelicans in Flight (guitar ensemble including requinto and bass) is an attempt to recreate in music the way that pelicans follow each other’s flight path when riding the wind over the river. In this piece, they also flap their wings to fly high, some land and some almost collide before they all come to settle at the end. The piece is loosely in a fugato form.

My daughter Fiona drew the pelicans.

Bluff Knoll (solo guitar) is a musical picture of the experience of climbing the mountain. The  bird calls are taken from a recording at the site, with some minor alterations to make them possible to play and a little grouping for interest and contrast. "The Mountain" has sections which are designed to represent the stream and waterfall, the view of the other mountains falling away, the wind as you round the shoulder of the mountain, the last hike to the summit and the combined relief and wonder when you arrive there. The last arpeggios are a representation of the clouds which drift over the peak. Throughout there is a theme based on fourths and fifths to represent the ancient presence of the mountain itself, and light runs and trills for the birds and lizards you meet on the way.