Score and parts 0-571-56637-5 (fp) on sale

Commissioned by Musica Viva Australia on behalf of Sun Microsystems (Aust.) Always on Time was written in early 2001 as a tribute piece to Russell Bate, the retiring managing director of Sun Microsystems. A group of five composers was approached to each write a short piece (1-2 minutes) that outlined some aspect of Russell Bate's personality. The model for the idea behind this commission was a group of works in the mode of Hindemith's Kammermusik no. 1., op. 24 no 1 (Very Fast and Wild). Always on Time was based on the personal qualities of perseverance and puncuality, attributed to Mr. Bate. Hence there is a lot of striving towards a goal in the work. This piece was composed whilst I was composer-in-residence at the Peggy Glanville-Hicks House, Paddington. notes by Matthew Hindson