Birding for Birdies is a set of 9 pieces for trumpet and guitar inspired by birds seen and heard on a road trip to Queensland in June 2023. As a keen birdwatcher I am often thinking about how habit loss and destructive development is pushing birds to the brink. The experience of travel in Queensland was a positive experience that made me marvel at the resilience of Australian birds and the new avian soundscapes I was experiencing in the northern part of Australia.
Musical ideas for Birdies were workshopped with Joel to incorporated a range of mutes and trumpet effects that evoked bird calls. The first performance of the full set was given at Tempo Rubato in Melbourne on 20 March 2024.