Christopher Sainsbury
Composer - Songwriter - Guitarist - Educator

"Beautifully crafted, always received with enthusiasm by both the members of
the orchestra and the audience alike".

(Gordon Yemm, former principal flute West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Queensland Pops Orchestra)

A selection:

Concerto:

Clarinet: 1993/2009 - Concertino for Clarinet and Strings - Performed by Eddie Knakal and Virginia Symphony Strings, also Greg Turner and Central Coast Concertante Ensemble. Level - University orchestra, or good community orchestra. 15 mins

Guitar: 2001 - Concerto for Guitar (The Luthier) - Careful, this uses bi-tones. Commissioned by Adrian Walter for the Darwin International Guitar Festival 2002. Soloist, Spanish virtuoso Jose Maria Gallardo del Rey. Level - professional orchestra or university orchestra. Requires a big thinking soloist! 25 mins

Cor anglais: 2009 - Bushfire - Concerto for Cor anglais and Strings. For Rachel Tolmie and the Concertante Ensemble, Gosford City. Recorded on Wirripang label. Level - Pro soloist and a pro orchestra. 22mins

Small/medium orchestra:

1985 - Australian Concert Overture - for medium sized orchestra. Winner Australian Young Composer Award 1986.

1986 - Horizons - for small orchestra. Featured in the New Music and the Orchestra Series 1986, Queensland Theatre Orchestra conducted by Richard Mills. Level - professional orchestra or university orchestra. 6 mins

1987 - Homage to TS Eliot - for string orchestra. A commissioned work for the Australian Chamber Orchestra, directed by Carl Pini, and with subsequent performance under Richard Tognetti. Level - professional, or good university string orchestra. 9 mins

2014 - Concert Overture "Beach Holiday" - Commissioned by the Central Coast Youth Orchestra, dir. Patrick Brennan.

2015 - Where Cooling Zephyrs Breathe - Commissioned by the Central Coast Youth Orchestra, dir. Patrick Brennan.

2019 - Mari yanna (Big walk) - a commission from the Chancellery of the ANU, being a graduation piece for unison voices with a chamber ensemble of twelve. 5 mins.

2021 - Guwara (high wind) - for string orchestra. A commission from Melbourne String Ensemble. Level - good upper high school students or professional. 4 mins.

Larger orchestra or symphonic wind:

2007 - First Light - for orchestra. Winner New England Philharmonic Orchestra Boston Open Scores Competition 2010-11. Commissioned by the Central Coast Conservatorium and the Central Coast Symphony, Gosford City. Level - professional orchestra, university orchestra or good community orchestra. 10 mins

2016 - The Magic of This Dawn - for Wind Symphony. Commissioned by the North Sydney Symphonic Wind Ensemble for Australian performances and Japan tour. Level - very good community group. 8 mins

2017 - Spirit Land - for large orchestra. Commissioned by film maker Robert Doyle, with Arts Central and Create NSW funding, being the soundtrack for the film of the same name. Level - very good community orchestra or youth orchestra. 17 mins.

2020 - String Talk for string orchestra with featured solos for violin and cello, commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO). 9 mins.

Other wind ensemble:

2015 - Ratoos - for flute choir. Students high school/AMEB 4 - 6 parts. 3 mins.

2015 - Gallipoli Sensings - for wind trio (French horn, clarinet/bass clarinet, bassoon). Commissioned for the Contemporary Gallipoli Exhibition Macquarie University. Performed by the Royal Australian Navy Band. 8 mins.

2019 - Bardo - for flute trio, composed for the Australian Flute Festival 2019. Upper levels. 5 mins.

2021 - Singing Stone - commissioned by Ken Murray for Ensemble Three (Melbourne), for trumpet, trombone, amplified classical guitar. Level – professional. 12mins.