Rachel Bruerville Releases Debut Album 'Under the Fig Tree'

Elder Conservatorium alumna Rachel Bruerville – BMus (Hons) Composition (2013–2018) – is releasing her debut album of instrumental chamber music, entitled Under the Fig Tree – Music for serenity, strength, and joy, on Friday 25 July. The album can be purchased via Bandcamp, and will also be available on streaming services.

The first three tracks on the nine-track album are new classical guitar and harp duets, written for and performed by pioneering Australian duo, Andrew Blanch and Emily Granger. The creation of these duets was supported by a Creative Australia grant for independent artists, and they were recorded at Lush Recording Studios, Kabi Kabi and Turrbal Country, Clontarf Beach, Queensland.

The other six tracks on the album were recorded at UKARIA Cultural Centre, Peramangk Country, Mount Barker Summit, South Australia, and supported by an Arts South Australia (now CreateSA) grant for independent artists. These tracks include: two string quartet arrangements or choral pieces from 2013 and 2019; three tracks featuring cello and/or bassoon, performed by the dynamic duo of Anna Pokorny and Jack Schiller (Principal Bassoon, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra); and a string quartet version of Rachel's popular string orchestra piece, Dancing on Tiptoes, originally commissioned by the Hush Foundation.

The theme of the album – Music for serenity, strength, and joy – is inspired by the dedicatee of track one: Rachel's grandmother Brigid Bruer (1933–2019), who felt the serenity in Rachel's musical language. The title comes from Brigid's experience of musical synesthesia – the colour of figs (B major), and the colour of leaves (E major).

Rachel Bruerville composer
Hildegard von Bingen composer (track 6)

Andrew Blanch classical guitar
Emily Granger harp
Belinda Gehlert violin
Emily Tulloch violin
Karen De Nardi viola
Anna Pokorny cello
Jack Schiller bassoon

Jakub Gaudasinski sound engineer

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