Maggie’s work as a composer is varied; soundscapes for podcasts and theatre shows, solo percussion pieces, compositions for jazz ensembles and participatory works. With a great sense of awe and respect for the natural world, Maggie always travels with a Zoom recorder to document and archive her surrounds. Maggie approaches composition with curiosity and a sense of play, utilising graphic scores, traditional notation and composed improvisation.

Soil

Maggie has featured as a composer and performer for BighART’s Acoustic Life of Sheds in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Soil (score pictured above) was performed as a ‘stacked ensemble’ with Brian Ritchie, Lucky Oceans and Maggie Abraham in June 2021. A site specific piece, Soil was performed in a wheat threshing shed with three levels. Each performer was situated on a different level, so the ensemble could not see each other. The piece explored the complex and varied soil horizons (layers), and the microbial and subterranean life that resides there.

Kanamaluka {Tamar River}

Maggie composed Kanamaluka {Tamar River} for The Acoustic Life of Boatsheds at MONA FOMA in January 2021. The composition explored place, sound ecologies, composed improvisation and movement. Central to the composition was exploring the tonal value and timbres of field recordings collected around Kanamaluka and interweaving them throughout the space and the composition.

Plover

Throughout the various lockdowns in Melbourne over 2020 and 2021, Maggie began composing for solo vibraphone. Inspired by field recordings she had taken over the years, she explores the mood, tonal value and essence that sounds of nature can add to her pieces.

Moonbird

As a feature of Beaker Street Arts and Science Festival, Moonbird was commissioned for a series of nature walks. Musicians and scientists collaborated to create a podcast with music that was inspired by the topic. Moonbird was composed in conversations with Dr. Jennifer Lavers about the migration journey of the Flesh Footed Shearwater.

Granite

Maggie is studying the Cuban drumming tradition Santería or Regla de Ocha and is fascinated by the batá and their melodic, interlocking rhythms. Granite is a re-structuring of a traditional melody for the Orisha Obba.