Works

LIST OF WORKS (1971 – 2023)
with first performance/recording

Mark Isaacs’s oeuvre of 130 works (to date) includes: two symphonies for full orchestra; a chamber symphony; six concertos (trumpet, piano, violin, flute, cello & cor anglais); general orchestral music; three string quartets; a string sextet; music for classical piano trio; a piano sonata, two books of piano preludes and other solo piano music (including an 18-piece cycle “Children’s Songs” & a 6-piece “Songs Without Words”); a soprano saxophone sonata, a flute sonatina & other solo pieces with piano accompaniment (cello, violin & bass clarinet); numerous mixed chamber works; a wind quintet; a piece for solo bass koto; a collection of classical guitar works (solos & guitar quartets); unaccompanied choral & vocal consort works; pieces for voice with piano or mixed chamber group; transcriptions of Chopin piano works for chamber group; an oratorio; a mini-opera; two musicals; big band pieces; and scores (many orchestral) for film, television, radio, dance and the theatre.

(Note: Not included here and in addition are: numerous tunes composed & arranged for small jazz group; extemporised works [even when later given titles]; and popular-style songs, most with lyrics by Mark Isaacs).

Age 61 to present
2023 Burt Bacharch Alfie. Arranged for guitar quartet by Mark Isaacs
2023 Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano
2022 Frédéric Chopin: Étude Op. 25, No. 7 ‘Cello’; Transcribed for cello, violin & piano by Mark Isaacs
2021  Frédéric Chopin: Étude Op. 25, No. 7 ‘Cello’; Transcribed for cello, clarinet & piano by Mark Isaacs
2020 Songs Without Words [6] for piano
2020 Solace after a motif by Scott Joplin for guitar quartet
2020 Four Vignettes after The Wind in the Willows for piano, violin and cello
2019 Evening prayer for mixed chorus a cappella (Text by Dietrich Bonhoeffer; translated to English by Mark Isaacs)
2019 Evening prayer for six voices (Text by Dietrich Bonhoeffer; translated to English by Mark Isaacs)
2019 Variation on Ode to Joy; Goldner String Quartet, Australian Festival of Chamber Music, 2022
2019 Tristesse (after a theme by Chopin) for piano, violin and cello
2019 Closer for piano, violin and cello; Benaud Trio, Melbourne Recital Centre, 2022

Age 51 to 60
2019 Sonata for piano
2019 Evening prayer for mixed chorus a cappella (Text by Dietrich Bonhoeffer; set in the original German)
2018 Evening prayer for six voices (Text by Dietrich Bonhoeffer; set in the original German)
2018 The Piper at the Gates of Dawn for flute and piano
2017 Symphony No. 2
2016 Song for My Father for solo guitar
2016 Three Album Leaves for piano solo
2016 Housewarming! for solo flute; Melissa Doecke, 2017
2015 Berceuse for soprano, clarinet and piano; Omega Ensemble/Lee Abrahmsen
2014 Chamber Symphony; Omega Ensemble/Lee Abrahmsen, conducted by Mark Isaacs, City Recital Hall, Sydney
2014 Vocalise for soprano and piano
2014 Barcarolle for alto flute and harp; Emma Sholl & Jane Rosenson, 2015
2014 Vocalise for soprano and mixed chamber ensemble; Southern Cross Soloists
2013 The River for alto flute and piano
2013 The Quieter Path for flute and guitar; Virginia Taylor & Timothy Kain, 2016
2013 Symphony No. 1; Queensland Symphony Orchestra/Benjamin Northey 2013
2012 Duende for solo piano
2012 The Wind in the Willows Suite for mixed chamber ensemble and narrator; Hush Music CD, 2012
2011 Children’s Songs [18] for piano solo; Mark Isaacs, 2012 Adelaide Festival, Soundbrush SR1029
2011 Anniversary Fanfare for large orchestra
2011 Invocations for cello and orchestra; Julian Smiles, Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra, 2012
2011 Serenade for orchestra; Queensland Symphony Orchestra, 2012
2010 Miniatures & Variations for piano solo; Newcastle Conservatorium 2011
2010 Colloquy for electric guitar and strings
2010 Sonatine for violin and piano
2010 Theme & Variations on ‘The Snow it Melts the Soonest’ (trad.) for piano solo; Gabriella Pusner, Theme & Variations showroom, Sydney, 2011
2009 Will-‘o-the-wisp for piano solo; 2010 ISCM World New Music Days
2009 Five Bagatelles for solo guitar; Timothy Kain, Sydney Opera House, 2010; recorded for Naxos release
2009 Sextet for strings; Australia Ensemble 2010

Age 41 to 50
2009 Study for guitar
2009 Cantus Firmus for trumpet, chamber ensemble and rhythm section
2009 Sonatine for flute and piano; Australian Flute Festival 2010
2008 Serenade for string quartet; Greenway Quartet, Aurora Festival 2008
2008 Songs at First Light for jazz piano trio and chamber sextet; Aurora Festival 2008
2007 Chorale for piano solo
2007 Between the Shores for flutes and percussion; MLC School 2007
2007 Nacht und Tag for piano solo; The Music Show, ABC Radio National 2007
2007 Pange Lingua: Fantasia on a Hymn of St Thomas Aquinas for string quartet and string orchestra; MLC School 2007
2006 Chinkon for bass koto solo; Satsuki Odamura
2006 Divertimento for six players; MLC School
2006 i carry your heart with me for mixed chorus a cappella; Sydney Philharmonia Choirs
2005 Preludes for Piano, Book II [12]
2005 Side-Wise Suite for jazz sextet
2005 Over the Rainbow: Four Ballads from the Great American Songbook for jazz piano trio & orchestra; Liepaja Piano Festival, Latvia 2005
2004 String Quartet No. 3; commissioned by Tankstream Quartet
2004 Night Songs for viola and piano; Deborah Lander/Australia & New Zealand Viola Society 2005
2003 Autumnal Dances for guitar quartet; Guitar Trek 2010
2003 Ave Maria for cello and piano; Trish O’Brien/Mark Isaacs 2005
2003 Canticle for trumpet and orchestra; James Morrison, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, 2003
2002 Kensington Rags; Australia Ensemble 2002
2001 Chaconne/Salsa for cor anglais and orchestra; Peter Duggan/Adelaide Symphony/Kristjan Jarvi 2001
2001 Three Days of Rain Sydney Theatre Company (Richard Greenburg, playwright)
1999 Three Excursions for concert band and strings; Fort Street High School Sesquicentennial 1999

Age 31 to 40
1998 Scherzo for wind quintet; Calefax Quintet, Amsterdam 2001
1997 The Burning Thread for mixed chorus a cappella; The Australian Voices, Brisbane 1998
1996 Voices: The Passion of St Jeanne; Sydney Opera House, 1997
1995 Scherzo for small orchestra
1994 Songs of the Universal for viola, cello, clarinet & piano; Perihelion, 1995
1993 Lyric Caprice for cello and piano; NSW Conservatorium of Music; 1993
1992 Threnody for violin and cello; NSW Conservatorium of Music; 1993
1992 Sunday Afternoon with Peter Ross (ABC  TV Theme) Version 2, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mark Isaacs
1991 Litany for piano and orchestra; Mark Isaacs, St Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, 1994
1990 Beach Dreaming A one act opera for young people; school performances
1989 Shake & Stir A musical
1989 Purple Prayer for jazz quartet and strings
1989-90 G.P. (ABC TV drama series, underscore 34 episodes)

Age 21 to 30
1988 Variations for flute, clarinet & cello; Seymour Group 1988, Sydney Opera House
1988 Violin Concerto (Debekuth); rec. Dene Olding/QSO/Mills 1990 (ABC)
1988 String Quartet No. 2: Burlesque Miniatures; rec. Sydney String Quartet 1988 (ABC)
1988 Drums of Thunder Belvoir Street Theatre (Martin Buzacott)
1988 Alice in Wonderland (animated telemovie)
1988 Wind in the Willows (animated telemovie)
1988 Black Arrow (animated telemovie)
1988 Sunday Afternoon with Peter Ross (ABC  TV Theme) Version 1, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Isaacs (on-air until 1991)
1987 Cantilena for bass clarinet and piano; rec. TP004
1987 Piece for flute and strings; Australian Chamber Orchestra/Jane Rutter, conducted by Mark Isaacs, 1987; Bonita Boyd/QSO/Mills, 1988 (ABC),
1987 Elegy for cello and piano
1987 Don Quixote (animated telemovie)
1987 Rob Roy (animated telemovie)
1987 Black Beauty (animated telemovie)
1986 Memoirs for percussion and piano; Synergy, 1986
1986 Preludes for Piano, Book I [12]; rec. by composer JHR2003
1986 Visitation for solo piano; Lisa Moore, Sydney Opera House, 1986
1986 Four Comments for winds; Sydney Grammar School
1986 Kidnapped (animated telemovie)
1986 Ivanhoe (animated telemovie)
1985 So It Does for six players; Japan, India, China, USA etc; rec. TP002
1985 Ballade for Orchestra; Sydney Youth Orchestra, conducted by Mark Isaacs, 1985, Sydney Town Hall
1985 Three Songs for soprano and piano
1985 Character References for violin and piano
1985 Robin Hood (animated telemovie)
1984 I Am for mixed chorus a cappella
1984 Three Scherzi for flute, clarinet, violin and cello
1984 String Quartet No 1; Sydney String Quartet, Sydney Opera House, 1984
1984 A Tale of Two Cities (animated telemovie)
1983 Diversion for six players
1982 Moving Pictures for piano and orchestra; ABC, 1982
1982 Four Glimpses for orchestra
1981 Shadows of Blues; Batsheva Dance Compamy
1981 Ha Laitsun for two pianos; rec. 1M1CD1004
1981 Quintet for Brass
1980 Four Lyric Pieces for string trio
1980 Liturgy for string orchestra
1979 Fantasy for violin and piano; rec. BAT2071

Age 12 to 20
1978 Lamente for oboe and piano; rec. BAT2071
1977 Mad Jean A Musical; Balmain Bijou, 1978
1977 Ode to Peace for big band
1977 Footsteps for big band
1977 Sad Girl for big band
1976 Various stings and station IDs: 4BU radio; Bundaberg, Queensland
1976 Ballade for big band
1976 D’Urbeville House for big band
1975 Interlude for flute and piano; rec. ABC 1976
1974 Three to Go for big band
1973 An Excursion for Violin & Piano
1973 Reflections for piano and orchestra; Sydney Town Hall, 1974
1972 Reverie for piano and orchestra; TCN 9 TV, 1973
1971 Three Excursions for woodwind