Liza Lim

The music of composer, educator and music researcher Liza Lim, born in Perth, Australia in 1966, focuses on collaboration and transcultural practices. Beauty, anger and noise, ecological connections and female spiritual traditions are central to her recent work. Liza Lim has received commissions from leading orchestras and institutions around the world; her works are and will be performed at prestigious festivals. In 2024 she was named "Composer of the Year" by OPUS KLASSIK. Liza Lim is Professor of Composition and Australian Music at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney. As part of an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship, from 2025 she will lead a five-year programme to promote the exploration of urgent climate and social issues through music. Her initiatives for gender equality through Sydney Con's Composing Women have had a significant impact on commissions, performances and leadership of the next generation of Australian music. A Sutured World for cello and orchestra was composed in 2024 on commission from musica viva of Bayerischer Rundfunk, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Cello Biënnale Amsterdam, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Casa da Música Porto. The world premiere, recorded on this cd, took place on 25 October 2024 in the Herkulessaal of the Residenz München with Nicolas Altstaedt (cello) and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk conducted by Edward Gardner. The orchestral work Mary – Transcendence after Trauma was composed in 2020/21 on commission from musica viva of Bayerischer Rundfunk. The premiere of the work at musica viva, originally scheduled for 28 January 2022, had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the meantime, the triptych premiered on 29 April 2022 as part of "Music of the Time" with the WDR Sinfonieorchester conducted by Cristian Macelaru at the Kölner Philharmoniker. This cd contains the musica viva recording of 12 May 2023 by the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks conducted by Franck Ollu in the Herkulessaal in Munich. The Compass for flute, didgeridoo and large orchestra was composed in 2005/2006 on commission from musica viva of Bayerische Rundfunk and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The premiere took place on 23 August 2006 at the Sydney Opera House with Rosamund Plummer (flute), William Barton (didgeridoo) and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Briger. This cd contains the musica viva recording of the European premiere on 12 January 2007 by Carin Levine (flute), William Barton (didgeridoo) and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk conducted by Christoph Poppen from the Herkulessaal.