Margaret Brandman

 

In a career of over 45 years, composer/pianist Margaret Brandman has composed a variety of music ranging from orchestral, chamber and choral works, to instrumental solos, and works for solo voice with piano accompaniment.

Her output includes the two internationally acclaimed albums - SENSATIONS featuring her celebrated works for orchestral and chamber ensembles recorded by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra in the Czech Republic, and the compilation album ABRAZO recorded in Cuba, which includes her Warm Winds in Havana suite for saxophone quartet and percussion.

 

Margaret also performs many of her original works including the piano solo Autumn Rhapsody, which is included on SENSATIONS, her ensemble works for piano with woodwind or strings, and her songs for voice and piano including Lady of Grace, and Songs of Love and Desire.

 

The premiere performance of the solo settings of Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac song cycle by Baritone Martin Cooke of the Bavarian State Opera Company, in association with the composer on piano, took place in Sydney, Australia on the 3rd of September 2016.

 

Margaret was also in attendance at the European premiere performance of the Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac by the Prague Mixed Chamber Choir and soloists, held at the concert hall in the Czech Music Museum in Prague on the 14th of September 2017.

 

" I was lucky to be at the Celebratory Launch of Margaret's CD SENSATIONS at Sydney Conservatorium of Music Last night. What a wonderful warm and varied concert it was!  It was an exciting eye opener and entrée to the work of this remarkable Australian musician which also featured music from the CD ABRAZO and in the second half in association with baritone Martin Cooke we heard the world premiere of Margaret Brandman's song cycle The Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac. This was delightful!

 

Twelve charming songs with lyrics by Benita Rainer beautifully performed by Martin Cooke and Margaret Brandman.

The taste of Latin America in the two tracks from Warm Winds in Havana for Saxophone quartet and percussion was very enticing and enjoyable.

We were also introduced to and delighted by two art songs by Margaret Brandman, Lady of Grace, a setting of Ave Maria and The Baragoola Sails to Manly, again sung by Martin Cooke with Margaret at the piano. I am sure both of these works will become favourites in the singer's repertoire.

 

"Congratulations and Bravo again."

Pamela Herring  - Collegiate of Specialist Music Educators,  Australia  September 2016

 

For more biographical information please view the Enhanced Content Website for SENSATIONS.

 

photography Roger Dilernia

 

 

 

Benita Rainer

 

Benita Rainer is a teacher, poet, artist, singer and astrologer who has studied astrology and produced birth charts for people for over 40 years.  The Cosmic Wheel of the Zodiac song cycle is the fruit of these many years of experience.

 

Aware of the uniqueness of the poems in the song cycle, Benita presented them to Margaret Brandman. Inspired by the concept, Margaret set the 12 poems to music, and by doing so fulfilled Benita's dream of creatively acknowledging the meaning of the zodiac in the lives of every person.

 

 

Photography - Roger Dilernia