A Tedious Brief Scene: Bottom's Dance (2011) is a fine example of Holmes' work from her career as a composer and educator in New Zealand for over 25 years. Holmes was inspired to depict the character Bottom from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in writing this lighthearted work. It is highly engaging and energetic with elements of minimalist techniques of layered melodic ostinati, and jazz-influenced and non-tonal harmony.
Like the character and scene from Shakespeare's play, the music oscillates between moments of poignancy and boisterous self-confidence. It incorporates a variety of accented rhythmic patterns, changing metres and delicate melodic material, which gives pianists an opportunity to demonstrate their individual and combined talents as a chamber ensembles. It is suitable for performance by secondary students of approximately Grade VIII and above (ABRSM / Trinity).
It is now available for purchase as a study score and/or performance set (parts only). This listing is the performance set of parts only.
Dr Leonie Holmes is a lecturer in Composition and Music Studies at the School of Music, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Stemming from her work as Composer-in-Schools in the 1990s, she is interested in music education and in developing a musical language that will engage and challenge non-professional players. She has written many works for school and community groups and is regularly invited to speak or direct workshops with secondary school students and teachers.
