On 18 September Anna Meredith’s Moon for amplified chamber orchestra and electronics appeared at Sydney Conservatorium, performed by the SCM New Music Ensemble and conducted by Benjamin Northey.
Moon was originally commissioned by Sinfonia Viva in 2013, where Meredith was Composer-in-Residence. The 20-minute work comprises 5 movements of 4 minutes, each inspired by Native American names for the phases of the moon. Meredith notes,
The names mark the time of the year – what was happening in that particular full moon, whether it was how the river was or what plants were growing. I read about these simple descriptions and thought they were lovely. I picked five that I liked – Snow, Pink, Strawberry, Sturgeon and Hunter – and interpreted the quality of how each month might be. I hope they each have quite a different character.
The piece has previously been presented by 12 Ensemble at the Barbican, members of Aurora Orchestra at Kings Place, Chromatica Orchestra, and the University of Toronto Contemporary Music Players. It made its Australian debut at the Four Winds Festival with their festival orchestra in 2023 and was also performed by the Tasmanian Symphony and Sam Weller in 2025. Several performances have not just featured Meredith herself but also her sister Eleanor, who has provided live drawings as the unfolds – just as she has provided visuals for Meredith’s Anno, the composer’s reimagining of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.