This solo piano piece was composed in response to the disturbing rise in anti-Semitism we have been experiencing in Australia since the 2023 October 7^th attacks on Israel by terrorist group, Hamas. Since that date, violent protests, bombings, vandalism and hate speech have become all too frequent in our country; a nation that prides itself on multiculturalism and acceptance. This programmatic piece was composed to implore us all to be strong and resist the hardening of our collective beautiful souls. The world premiere was presented at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Canberra, in October 2025.

Programmatic Notes

• The piece begins with a tentative repeated note to indicate a general sense of unease under which a descending left-hand line struggles to form a melody. Augmented to a Major 2^nd, the spreading of foreboding is implied.
• The next section begins with a moment of arpeggiated tonality, indicative of beauty and peace in our land, leading to a conventional major melody with a monophonic texture. The second phrase of this melody, however, is disturbed by a dissonant ascending line, another hint at the unravelling of social calm. This unrest, though, is overcome, leading into a broad, passionate phrase, celebrating accomplishment and pride.
• After a return to the first section, the beauty of the arpeggiated line is darkened by a dissonant counterpoint, a further diminishing of beauty. After a brief reprise of the major melody, the piece winds back to unrest, this time starting on the tritone of the harmony instead of the 5^th, traditionally the devil’s interval.
• After a misleadingly optimistic major cadence, the work descends into a frantic minor section, marked by a repeating 10/8 furioso line in the left-hand. After a jarring aggressive melodic spurt, the right-hand submits and joins its collaborator, representing the hatred that has set in; the weak following the masses. After the unrelenting chords foreshadowing war, or perhaps a reminder of past atrocities, the piece draws to a close.
• A disguised quote from a line in Di Shvue (the anthem of the Jewish Labour Bund), “Swear an oath of life and death”, leads to the final reprise of the beginning repeated notes. Here, we have time to reflect. We can overcome this. We can resist the hardening of our beautiful souls.

Written for snare drum and auxiliary percussion, this solo percussion piece was commissioned by Andrew Turner for his partner, Sarah Walker. The work explores patterns and thematic development through the use of a small battery of instruments which complement the snare drum.

Commissioned by Dr Jennifer Gall in 2017 as part of Listening to Canberra’s past, Lanyon Suite was composed for the Broadwood piano at Canberra’s historic Lanyon Homestead. The 3 movements reflect the day-to-day life of a bygone country Australia. The work was premiered in the Lanyon Homestead and has subsequently been performed at Canberra Museum and Art Gallery, Elizabeth Bay House, Sydney and the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Canberra.

Commissioned by Australia’s premier percussion ensemble, Synergy, 40 Under 40 was a unique new-media art project consisting of a slew of newly commissioned audio-visual artworks exhibited at Yellow House Gallery, Potts Point from 8th -11th December, 2016.  France’s contribution, 2X + 1, was amongst a number of other interesting works by composers including Elena Kats Chernin, Michael Gordon and Paul Stanhope, among others.

VIEW VIDEO

Three Miniatures for Piano Trio was composed in 2002 as a set of three quirky pieces to explore the variety of timbres available to the genre.

• The first movement, “Stravinsky’s Book” was so named because it was a Stravinsky score that was first placed on the strings of the piano to dampen them.
• “Playing in the Shadows” was how Perth based Jazz musician John Pin described the playing of Jazz guitarist, Bill Frisell.
• “You’re Sitting on My Thoughts” is a phrase I heard a music student say one time at concert-practice. The movement is fast and youthful, as was the energy of this budding young musician.

Duo for Flute and Cello was first performed by Virginia Taylor and David Pereira at the Canberra International Chamber Music Festival in 2000. It is an exploration into 12-tone music and the potential of melody within such a rigid compositional technique.

Cellist David Pereira performed the world premiere of Fluctuating States of Calm the title track of France’s CD. It is a reflection on the meditative process, and the disruptive impact that conflict can have on meditation. Musically, it is a free form composition, based on the initial four-note motif.

What Goes Around Comes Around  was commissioned by Clarity Quartet in 1998.  Also found on the ensemble’s CD entitled “Second Door on the Left”, the work has been performed several times throughout Australia and abroad.

Miss Mugwort was composed in 1996 and is dedicated to France’s first-born daughter, Antoinette (Nette) Elizabeth France.  Although the instrumentations is based on Schoenberg’s Pierro Lunaire, the soundscape of the work is in stark contrast to the great serial composer. With tongue-in-cheek, Miss Mugwort is a melodic, Jazz influenced chamber work rich in counterpoint and rhythmic complexity.  The work is named after a children’s story-book series written by Linda Britnell and illustrated by Joanna Walsh, which features a contrary fairy whose name is Nettie Mugwort.

Monism was inspired by Hindu philosophy, was composed in 1994 for Pal Eder, violin, and Gary France, marimba. It received its world premiere at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, Western Australia, in 1995. Monism can be heard on my instrumental CD: “Fluctuating States of Calm” and Gary France’s CD “Works for Percussion”.

This early work was composed in 1993 after France graduated from WAAPA and before commencing Composition at the University of North Texas, USA.  Mentored by Ed Applebalm, France was encouraged to write authentically, listening internally to what she heard and write what she wanted to hear.

This 12-tone composition for solo piano develops a number of transpositions of a Prime row based on the Thelonius Monk tune “Epistrophy”. Composed to explore serialism, this work is intended for the young pianist/composer interested in the musical, mathematical and technical potential of 12-tone composition.