Category: music

  • The Erotic Anguish of Don Juan

    25 pieces for violin, cello, bass clarinet, percussion, SATB chorus and vocal soloistsVarious selections, including Sneaky (1:30), Bullfight (4:00), Burlesque (5:00), Minotaur Cave (3:15) In 2002, puppeteer, author and musician Judd Palmer heard a performance of The Benevolent Predator, and was moved to exclaim “By God, you simply must write music for a show by…

  • Waiting for the First Crocus

    for violin and piano (4:00) I wrote this piece as a Christmas present for my late Mum, Mary Fenwick, in 1996, and revised the piano part in 2001. One of her great joys was spotting the first crocus of the year, its purple flower standing out against a thin blanket of snow. While writing this…

  • Starfish

    for solo cello (2:00) played by Caroline Kim.

  • The Persistence of Memory: Dances for Bass Trio

    Anders Dahlberg is one of my oldest friends and musical colleagues.  In 2010, he asked me to write a piece for three basses, for him to perform with two of his students at Kalamazoo College.  The premiere took place in November, 2011. I liked the idea of honouring our misspent youth, which included playing and…

  • Lonely Lake Revisited

    for solo harp (1:30)

  • Fickle

    for solo piano (9:00)

  • Compassion

    for string quartet (11:30) In 2009, the Dalai Lama visited Calgary, and I was fortunate to hear him speak.  I was struck by his conviction that all conflicts, large and small, can be resolved peacefully when individuals approach one another from a position of compassionate understanding. Compassion is a musical representation of that idea. The…

  • Black Jacques

    for string quartet (6:30)or string orchestra (6:30) This piece is dedicated to the memory of Jack (1980? – 1996), a snaggle-toothed feline who came to stay with the Fenwick family for a night and lingered for many years. Much of Black Jacques’ thematic material was plundered from two well-known songs: “Frere Jacques” and “Hit the…

  • The Benevolent Predator

    for electric violin, cello, alto saxophone, synthesizer, piano, percussion (7:00)   The Benevolent Predator was hatched in 2002 especially for the Land’s End Chamber Ensemble.  He… or she… was unleashed during the group’s cabaret at Calgary’s Beat Niq Jazz and Social Club, in March of that year.  Her distinctive call was heard again in November 2006,…

  • Ain’t Misbehavin’

    (Waller – 3:30)