Brink: Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra, premiered by violist Daniel Scholz and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. Roy Goodman, conductor.
“…a coherent, satisfying argument with some diverting touches of cross motion–activity over stillness–in various guises to make for coiled-spring tension as needed.”
– James Manishen: Winnipeg Free Press.
Nazca Lines, premiered by the St. Lawrence String Quartet and the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. Wayne Toews, conductor.
“The work was inspired by mysterious lines in the desert near Nazca, Peru, and…presents the audience with a study in contrasts. From the dramatic opening in the drums, through solos shifting among the quartet reinforced or opposed by the rest of the orchestra, it was evocative and challenging to ear and mind.”
– Jenni Morton: Saskatoon Star Pheonix.
Archipelago, performance at the Center for New Music, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.
“Archipelago–which unfolds in desolate landscapes with jagged edges–shows that this composer has an eclectic sense of style and a keen ability to balance color with rhythmic zest.”
– Donald Rosenberg: The Pittsburg Press
Five Pieces for Orchestra, performance by the Composers’ Orchestra, Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. Gary Kulesha, conductor.
“The Five Pieces for Orchestra…explore a wide range of orchestral colours through an orchestration that duplicates Webern’s Opus 10 pieces of 1910. As would be expected, the pieces are short, succinct and beautifully wrought explorations of orchestral sound.”
– Bruce Shavers: Manitoba Composers Association.
Five Short Songs, premiered by Music Inter Alia, Winnipeg Art Gallery.
“Five Short Songs demonstrates that David Scott has a remarkable grasp of the short musical form. Having chosen beautiful short poems for his text, he matched them with suble and sensitive music for piano, viola and voice.”
– Neil Harris: Winnipeg Free Press.
Archipelago, premiered by Aurora Musicale, Winnipeg.
“There were flashes of dourness in Scott’s five movements, along with a dash of unease….but Archipelago had much to say about inquisitiveness, brilliance and affirmation.”
– Randal McIlroy: Winnipeg Free Press.
At a Quiet Surface, premiered by soprano Angelique Leydier and members of the Composers’ Orchestra. Gary Kulesha, conductor.
“Scott already commands enough craft in accompanying a solo soprano with an ensemble of winds, strings, keyboards and percussion, to let the instruments take turns with the voice rather than competing for the ear’s attention.”
– William Littler, The Toronto Star.
String Figures, performed by the Cassatt String Quartet at the 2003, Centara Corp. New Music Festival, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
“String Figures, despite the whimsy, is an absorbing piece, with more emotional weight than the title implies.”
– James Manishen: Winnipeg Free Press.
Circular Ruins, premiered by the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. Simon Streatfeild, conductor.
“An equilibrium of opposing elements in activity, range, timbre and expressive gesture is its core, but is sealed with a firm structural hand and much imagination.”
– James Manishen: Winnipeg Free Press.
Six Bagatelles, performance at P.I. Chaikovskii Music Hall, Kiev, Ukraine.
“David Scott dedicated his Six Bagatelles to the memory of Anton Webern. The main feature of the Canadian composer’s works–their laconic character–evidently takes its roots from the works of the spiritual father of the musical avant-garde of the 1950s. Though the style is original, not imitating.”
– A. Ocokina: The Ukrainian Pravda