Introduction
For Matt Ottley creativity is creativity. He has never made much of a distinction between painting and writing music, and from his earliest memories he has always created music in his imagination. It seemed natural to him that he would eventually be a composer as well as an author and artist. To help people understand Matt’s creative process, and to give them an insight into the way words, images, and music can be combined to create a far greater and richer sensory experience, Matt devised The Sound of Picture Books.
The Sound of Picture Books, featuring music composed by Matt specifically for each picture book, began in 2014 with performances of Tree (written by Danny Parker) performed by players from WASO (the West Australian Symphony Orchestra) in partnership with The Literature Centre and Yamaha Music. Danny was instrumental in helping create the original format of the workshops.
The Sound of Picture Books is now a series of unique intermodal workshops that bring the published books Matt has either collaborated on, or written and illustrated, to life through a journey of sound and imagery. In many of the performances Matt has been fortunate to work with the author of the particular work, which provides further insights into the creative processes involved in creating picture books.
Works included in The Sound of Picture Books
The Sound of Picture Books provide students of all ages, and adults with an innovative learning experience that leaves them excited about the boundless possibilities of music, art and literature. Each performance ranges from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours and is tailored to the specific audiences’ needs, so the same show can be adapted for young children, family groups, older children or for adults. Below are samples from some of the books that are included in this program.
Tree
Tree is a 7 minute work featuring music composed by Matt for string quintet and piano, set to the images from the book Tree and narrated by the author, Danny Parker. The DVD includes two tracks. One track is complete with images, music and narration, and the second track consists of music and images only, ideal for self narrated performance in the classroom.
Home & Away
From the book by James Marsden, about one family’s displacement by war and the tragic sequence of events which follow, this work is set for a small symphony orchestra, narrator and soprano (featuring Nina Baumer in the recording). It runs for 18 minutes and is accompanied by images from the book, as well as archival photographs of asylum seekers from around the world.
Parachute
Music for string quintet, set to the images from Parachute, written by Danny Parker and narrated by Tina Wilson. Running time is 9 minutes per track. One track is complete with images, music and narration, the other with music and images only.
Dumazi & The Big Yellow Lion
30 minute musical work specifically composed for the heart warming children’s book written by Valanga Khoza and Illustrated by Matt. Composed by Matt for a small orchestra with guest composition by Valanga Khoza (narration, lyrics and playing of traditional zulu instruments).
The Incredible Freedom Machines
From the book The Incredible Freedom Machines by author Kirli Saunders and illustrated by Matt, this is a work for string quintet and piano based on the rhythms of pistons in engines.
Video coming soon.
Afloat in Venice
Matt has wanted, for a very long time, to write a piano piece that has an upbeat ragtime feel to it and this imaginative story for young children, Afloat in Venice (the first book in the Monkey’s Great Adventures series) by author/illustrator Tina Wilson, was a perfect vehicle for that.
Matt composed an eleven minute composition for string quintet, piano, French horn and clarinet with an additional version specifically narrated for the visually impaired. The music, performed by members of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, is fun and transporting and can be listened to with or without the book.