Close to Shore

This is an example of an original composition offering new insights into the expressive potential of the contrabass flute. Scored for 12 solo strings and contrabass flute, it was commissioned from the researcher by contrabass flute specialist Richard Craig with Creative Scotland funding, and was the product of a residency at Aberdeenshire’s Sound festival in 2012. Searle previously explored the capacities of the contrabass flute in his solo work Mean Tone (2010) and in developing his materials for Close to Shore, the composer collaborated closely with the Craig to extend these explorations further, and in particular to consider the use of the contrabass flute in the context of an ensemble work; uncovering ways in which the distinctive timbre can be framed, acoustically and aesthetically. In addition to the work itself, the researcher also shared these insights in a talk for the Sound festival (10 November 2012).The title Close to Shore refers to the account by Michael Capuzzo of shark attacks on the east cost of the United States in 1916, incidents that inspired Peter Benchley and Steven Spielberg. The work was premiered at Aberdeen City Gallery, with Richard Craig on contrabass flute and NYOSFutures, the chamber orchestra of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland conducted by James Lowe, on 10 November 2012; it received a further performance at Glasgow University on 12 November 2012.