Works
Austin’s work is made possible by funding bodies including the NSW Government, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, and Berlin Atonal.
Publications
Articles Forthcoming
Barnaby Brown and Austin Oting Har, 'Composing for Aulos: Technical Possibilities and Notational Solutions'
Kurt Mikolajczyk, Austin Oting Har, Oliver Bown, and Sam Ferguson, 'Mimetic Possibilities: Co-designing Multimedia Works for Opera'
Barnaby Brown and Austin Oting Har, 'Visualizing Vibrato: A Library of Wiggles to Broaden Technical and Cultural Horizons', Lotos Lab
PublishedAustin Oting Har, 'Music as a Discourse'/ 'Music as a State of Sound': An Interpretation of Gérard Grisey’s Conceptual Framework for Spectral Musical Composition', University of Melbourne: Context: Journal of Music Research (2019) DOI: https://contextjournal.music.unimelb.edu.au/context-no-44-winter-2019/
EditedIsobel Savulescu, 'How does Robert Glasper and Miles Davis' Album Everything's Beautiful (2016) Move the Legacy of Jazz Rap Forward?' University of Sydney: Sydney Undergraduate Journal of Musicology (2020). DOI: https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/SCM/issue/view/1019
ThesesAustin Oting Har, 'The Ghost: Opera – An Intersection of Greek Tragedy, Electroacoustic, and Spectral Music', Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney, Sydney Digital Theses (2021). DOI: https://hdl.handle.net/2123/25087
Austin Har, 'FLO: iOS application for Audio to MIDI Conversion', Berklee College of Music, Berklee Archives (2014).
BooksAustin Har, 'HSC English Advanced Module C: 'The Craft of Writing', Achievers Academy Publications: HSC Achiever's Study Notes, Sydney (2020). DOI: https://www.achieversacademy.com.au/book-shopSample
PoetryAustin Oting Har, 'Haiku in Action', Nick Virgilio Haiku Association (2022). DOI: https://www.nickvirgiliohaiku.org/blog/2022/haiku-in-action-week-16
Film
In 2018, Austin scored and performed the music for ‘Solace’ by the director Joe Chan. Starring Gabrielle Chan and Ai Diem Le, the short film is set in Vietnam and features dialogue in Cantonese.
Theater
After repeat cancellations of the commissioned site-specific premiere of Austin’s opera in Kraftwerk Berlin in 2020 and 2021, they filmed a performance video of one scene between the Australian lockdowns of 2021 – the only scene that does not feature the Ancient Greek instrumentalists, who are both based in the UK. The multimedia production features custom-built technology alongside an ensemble of electronic, traditional Chinese, and classically-trained Western instrumentalists and opera vocalists. Below is a sneak peek.
Austin began composing for contemporary theater in 2011, growing out of his work as a violinist in musicals directed by Isaac Hayward. He collaborated with the choreographer and dancer Emiline Forster in two productions, scoring and producing the music for ‘Good Evening Apocalypse’ at PACT Centre for Emerging Artists and ‘Robosapien’ at the ‘Dance Meets Music series’ at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Within the experimental theater world, he also played violin at MUCHTE, a festival of contemporary art held in rural Australia.
In 2013, Austin composed and performed for the bilingual Cantonese and English play ‘Life’s A Stage’ directed by Joe Chan, marking his first foray into traditional theater. It was produced by Australasian Arts and Stageworks and starred Jemwel Danao, Gabrielle Chan, Daphne Lowe-Kelley, and Michael Quan.
Scores
A selection of scores are available for purchase at BabelScores.
Opera and Theatre
‘Act I: Invocation – The Ghost Trilogy’ (2021) One Act opera, 1 hour and 15 minutes of music. Libretto in Ancient Greek (Doric and Attic) and invented words with Semitic sounds drawn from the mythological universe of the story written by Austin. The invented words were created with the assistance of Grant Kynaston. The ancient Greek translations were done with the assistance of Grant Kynaston and Rick Benitez. Soprano Solo / Chorus of Baritones / Pydna Aulos (~400 BCE) / Rustic Auloi / Cithara / Koile Flute / Guzheng / Clarinet in Bb / Violin / Cello / 23 Electronic Instruments controlled via custom Ableton Live Push 2 set-up. Commissioned by the NSW Government and Berlin Atonal. Premiere originally scheduled for Berlin Atonal 2020 in Kraftwerk Berlin – the ex-power plant of former East Berlin. Rescheduled for ‘The Long Now’ at the Berliner Festspiele 2021 then COVID-cancelled again. A premiere in Kraftwerk Berlin remains planned for.
‘Life’s A Stage’ (2013) 15 minutes of incidental music for play. Credited as composer, violinist, erhu player, and actor. Subject: Hong Kong opera star. Bilingual Cantonese and English production by Australasian Art and Stageworks. Performances at Zenith Theatre, Chatswood. Written by Joe Chan. Directed by Harry Tseng. Produced by Anelia Bozinovska. Starring Jemwel Danao, Gabrielle Chan, and Daphne Lowe-Kelley.
Orchestral Works
‘Battle Monologue’ (2011), overture 3’ Chorus S.A.T.B. 1.2.2.1.3.1.1- 2.1.1-2.4.2.1.1.-4 perc, -6.6.4.4.2. Commissioned by Christopher Bearman OAM for Symphony Central Coast and the Central Coast Philharmonia Choir. Winning work of the 2011 Central Coast Conservatorium of Music ‘Young Composer Award’ for Orchestral Composition. Sample
Ensemble Works
‘Confessions of an Obsessive Neurotic’ (2010), 6’30” Piano, oboe, alto saxophone, acoustic guitar (amplified), violin, viola, and cello. Subject: Sigmund Freud’s case study of his patient called ‘The Ratman’. Finalist in the 2010 Student Composer Prize, Sydney Conservatorium of Music 101. Sample
‘The Butterfly Dream’ (2013), 7’30” Dizi, Flute, Erhu, Violin, and Guzheng. Subject: Zhuang Zhou.
Solo Instrumental
‘The Myth of Òrron and Òros’ (2020), 7’ Pydna Aulos (H-1, L-1) Commissioned by the NSW Government. Composed for Barnaby Brown.
‘The Devil’s Merry Go Round’ (2011), 5’30” Carillon (54-57 bells). Commissioned by the Carillon Society of Australia. Premiered on the ‘National Carillon’ in Canberra. Performances ongoing and also as a pedagogical resource at the University of Sydney on their ‘War Memorial Carillon’. Sample
Electronic Works
‘Wormhole’ (2018), 7’ N.B.: the original arrangement has since been updated for the opera. Commissioned by MONA (The Museum of Old and New Art) for live premiere at Dark Mofo X Berlin Atonal ‘Laterne’, MAC02 main stage.
‘Dionysus’ (2018), 7’ N.B.: the original arrangement has since been updated for the opera. Commissioned by MONA (The Museum of Old and New Art) for live premiere at Dark Mofo X Berlin Atonal ‘Laterne’, MAC02 main stage.
‘Eros’ (2018), 7’ N.B.: the original arrangement has since been updated for the opera. Commissioned by MONA (The Museum of Old and New Art) for live premiere at Dark Mofo X Berlin Atonal ‘Laterne’, MAC02 main stage.
‘Ataraxia’ (2018), 7’ N.B.: the original arrangement has since been updated for the opera. Commissioned by MONA (The Museum of Old and New Art) for live premiere at Dark Mofo X Berlin Atonal ‘Laterne’, MAC02 main stage.
‘Spectral Synesthesia’ (2010) Synthesisers and drum-kit. Performed by Jordan Smith as part of the ‘Polarity’ programme in Recital Hall West, Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Sample
Contemporary Dance
‘Apocalypse’ (2013), 12’30” Synthesisers and drum-kit. Commissioned by PACT Centre for Emerging Artists. Choreographed and performed by Emiline Forster in the black box theatre.
‘Robosapien’ (2012), 9’ Synthesisers and drum-kit. Collaboration with youMove dance company and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as part of the ‘2012 Dance Meets Music Series’. Choreographed and performed by Emiline Forster in the Music Workshop.
Children’s Music
‘Pinto’s Adventure’ (2012), 45’ 10 pieces for voice, guitar, synthesisers, and drum-kit. Composed and produced in collaboration with Lachlan Wilson. Genre: bildungsroman.