Michael's aim as a composer is to engage the craft of composition and the eclectic nature of musical experience to create compositions of a unique character. Diverse musical experience provides a wealth of viewpoint and musical consideration, which supply the craftsman with tools, sound-worlds and ideas for blending new music. This diversity embraces not only contemporary art music practices such as poly-rhythms, poly chords, pointillism and extended techniques, but popular and ethnic musical nuance and gesture. Inspirations for new works are found in music itself of course, but also in ideas of science, the love of nature and from the Bahai Sacred Writings.

Michael consciously uses his particular musical experiences (Hard Rock, Bebop, Funk, Classical, Flamenco, and Eastern musics) as springboards for creativity. He has recently produced a body of works for cello, guitar, and piano and a new work for orchestra, which particularly draws on his eclectic musical palette. His works for guitar Eclectic Fantasies, aim to embody his own musical imagination. These range from colourful modernist pieces to a jazz nocturne, a furious latin piece, a raga-like rhapsody and a quintessential guitar piece filled with idiomatic ideas. Michael is currently undertaking a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the Queensland Conservatorium in Brisbane Australia. He has a separate website and blog for this creative practice study at www.mongrelmusic.ning.com. All of his new works can be perused in a variety of formats where available including video, audio, pdf scores along with his written papers and analyses.

Works for cello have been of particular interest in recent years, an instrument whose voice is as warm and varied as the human one. Michael has written many pieces for cello solo including: a Suite using Bach's as a point of departure and moving swiftly into contemporary ideas, energetic and uplifting; the evocative 'Earthshine' for cello and reverb, the popular 3 ...ianas: works for guitar and cello, a set of Lorca songs with soprano and guitar, and many others.

Michael's works have been performed Australia, China, Japan, the U.S., Canada, Germany, Switzerland, & Austria. Amongst the performers of his concert music are Cellists Louise King, Trish O'Brien, guitarist Alexandr Semyonov, Duo Australis, Austrian violin virtuoso Bijan Khadem-Missagh, and the Southern Cross Soloists.

Listen to one of Michael's orchestral works : "The Reef" Symphonic Suite

Sarah Bande for soprano, cello and guitar

ENQUIRES FOR PERFORMANCE SCORES AND PARTS AND COMPOSER WORKSHOPS CAN BE DIRECTED TO THE COMPOSER AT michaeldknopf@gmail.com

Commissions


Michael welcomes commissions from both professional artists and community and student musicians. Fees are negotiated privately. The Australia Council Music Board publishes a suggested rate of for composition commissions.

Scores


A complete list of original compositions by Michael Knopf is contained in this PDF file.

Appearing most Sunday Evenings at 'ZAFRON ON BRUNSWICK' RESTAURANT

726 Brunswick St. New farm Brisbane. Directly accross from the old Village Twin Cinema on Brunswick St. up from the corner of Annie & Barker.

Reservations TEL. 3358 2655

A new work commissioned by Graeme Morton and St. Peters Luthern College Chorale entitled "Cantillations" will be recorded in October and premiered at St. John's Cathedral on Friday October 23rd at 8 p.m.

Michael's current doctoral work in composition can be viewed at www.mongrelmusic.ning.com

See Michael's Zafron Road Project's recent concert at zafronroadproject.ning.com

Recent Releases

Michael Knopf 'Guitar Chant'

Listen / Buy Now with $5 from each sale going to Medicins sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders).

Contact

Get in touch with Michael for any enquiries regarding Composition Commissioning or Concert bookings - for Solo performances or with his band Centauri

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