Michael O’Donnell - Composer CV
2024
Upcoming in 2024
Arranging 45 minutes of music for 50 piece string orchestra at the National Folk Festival
Writing and arranging 10 pieces of music to be performed with the Victoria Youth Orchestra.
10 minute composition for four cellos to be performed with live reading of a children's book.
2023 - Distraction - For Trentham District Primary School band.
2023 - No Xceptions - for the Stringmania music camp.
2023 - Arranging 60 minutes of song to be performed with a string septet at Dorrigo Folk Festival
2023 - What a Shermozzle - Contemporary Klezmer piece commissioned by Emmanuel High School String Orchestra
2023 - Lullaby for Orchestra - First orchestral commission from the Dunedin Collegiate Orchestra
2023 - Our Own Little Festival - For string trio, double bass, bassoon, lever harp and flugelhorn, performed by the Malmsbury Collective.
2022 - Great Xpectations - For high school string and percussion ensemble, as part of an artist in residency at Wilunga-Waldorf Steiner School, South Australia.
2022 - Meeting the Pygmy Whale - for Erhu, Violin, Pedal-Harp, French Horn and Clarinet, produced for the Radioplaydate Podcast.
2022 - Daylesford Anthem - Written and recorded over the course of a 10 week artist in residency at Daylesford Public School, Victoria.
2022 - Get Set for solo pedal harp, winner of the Commonwealth Community Music Initiative competition.
2022 - Welcome to the Club - For String Orchestra, taught at, and performed by the Stringmania Music Camp, published in the Melbourne Tune Writers Collection in 2022.
2022 - Aunty Antechinus - for primary school choir, string orchestra and piano. Commissioned by Emmanuel School, NSW
2022 - The Whanganui River - 4 Minute composition for the Lane Cove Concert Band.
2022 - Deadlines - A two movement piece for the Sydney Cello Quartet.
2021 - Fragments - 5 minute piece for violin and harp for the Irish short film “Fragments”
2021 - Awen Main Theme - Two lever harps & String quartet for the Australian video game “Awen”.
2021 - Heartbeat My string orchestra arrangement of Aboriginal song Heartbeat earned me a membership into the Music Arrangers Guild of Australia.
2020 - Wrote and recorded 10 pieces for the Squeezebox Trio’s second album “Festival”, for jazz violin, guitar, accordion, double bass, clarinet, flute, string quintet and beatbox.
2020 - Commissioned Unicorn Ryder for primary school string orchestra.
2019 - Wrote and arranged nine pieces for violin, lever harp and two voices for the album “A Walking Pace”, by Mickey & Michelle. This album was toured across New Zealand’s 3000km “Te Araroa” trail, entirely on foot.
2018 - Published “Eleven Energetic Dance Tunes from Around the World” for primary school string orchestra.
2018 - Commissioned “Whatcha Wheelie Bin Doin’?” for a university percussion ensemble.
2018 - Commissioned “East Ryders of the Storm”, for primary school string orchestra.
2017- Present - At least once a year I write a 20 minute children’s radioplay drama to be performed with a school music ensemble between NSW, VIC and SA.
2016-2019 - Wrote and performed a selection of the music in Lubicizia - A Wild Violet. This Croatian Cabaret performed in Sydney and Melbourne, winning “Best Music” at the 2015 Fringe Festival.
2016 - Commissioned “Don’t Make Me Laugh at These High Speeds” - For high school string orchestra
2016 - Commissioned “I Wish We’d Never Agreed to this Epic Sea Quest”, for primary school string orchestra
2012 - Present - I run a project called Pickpockets & Rascals, where I arrange for a performer to be able to play their material with a 13-21 piece chamber ensemble. Past collaborations have included Ngaiire, Elana Stone, Brain Campeau, Lucy Wise, The Crooked Fiddle Band, and many more.
2013 - Graduated from Western Sydney University (Bmus) and spent one semester at Concordia University, Montreal (CAN) studying composition.