Fran Griffin began life as a flute player, studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia, with renowned teachers Margaret Crawford and Michael Scott. Although composing since the age of seven, she put aside composition in favour of an interest in early music performance practice, studying baroque flute and recorder with Howard Oberg.
After a number of years working as a freelance musician, she returned to study, completing M.Sc. (Hons) in Mathematics at Macquarie University, Sydney in 1999. Here she remained on staff until 2012, when she left Sydney to live in regional NSW. Here she has renewed her previous life as a musician, teaching flute, clarinet and bassoon and performing once again with early music ensemble Nouvelles Réflexions and flute quartet Eclectix.
Fran has renewed here interest in composition, finding a need to produce many arrangements and original works for students and for community concert bands and choir. Her more serious compositions include arrangements and new works for flute quartet, flute duo, and other chamber combinations with flute, bassoon duo, clarinet ensemble, string trio, symphonic winds, and choral works.
She has received several awards for composition, and her works have been published in Portugal, Italy, Belgium, USA and Australia.
PROGRAM NOTES “Aftermath”
The consequences of any significant event, such as a natural disaster, a tragic accident, serious crime or terrorist act, armed conflict, epidemic, can be devastating. On an individual level there is loss of loved ones, livelihood and property, and sometimes even one’s identity.
These losses are also felt at the community and national level, in addition to the disruption of the fabric of society.
How should we react?
To whom do we turn?
W here do we go to feel secure? W hat will happen next?
In Aftermath, I have tried to depict aspects of chaos, anguish, loss, comfort, and attempts to return to normality, that happen in the lives of people recovering from a major upheaval in their lives.
To return to Concert 3 Made In Australia page click here