On 5 July standard issue performed Lisa Illean’s février in London as part of the music we’d like to hear 2024 summer series. In August they give a further performance of the 2019 trio for clarinet, cello, and piano in Frankfurt as part of the International Ensemble Modern Academy, running from 3-11 August. Their London performance has been recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s New Music Show this autumn.
février is a “a winter piece, introspective” – a 13-minute work from which Illean tried to remove obvious signs of musical expression, pinpointing the characteristics of the sounds themselves. As with her 2022 ever-weaver for cello and piano, Illean calls on subtle and unusual tunings in the piece from both clarinet and cello: “to my imagination these are like cracks of muted light between the suspended piano chords.”
février was premiered by Trio Catch at Festival Présences; it has also received performances from Explore Ensemble, who gave the UK premiere. It was performed by BCMG Next in April 2023 at the CBSO Centre, alongside Illean’s Januaries from Kazuki Yamada and BCMG, and recently made its Australian debut in December 2023 at the Brisbane Music Festival, performed by Dario Scalabrini, Katherine Philp, and Alex Raineri.
October 2024 will see the world premiere of Illean’s Sonata in ten parts, her first work for solo piano, from Cédric Tiberghien at Wigmore Hall. It is followed in November by a performance of Cantor for soprano and mixed ensemble, from Alice Rossi and Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, conducted by Geoffrey Paterson. The 15-minute piece, a setting of poetry by Willa Cather, was named Instrumental Work of the Year at the 2018 Australian Art Music Awards.