Julie Cooper: Oculus - JULIE COOPER (b.1964) : MOONGLADE in Jet Black; TO A SKYLARK; ANGEL in Dark Green; ILLUSION; ASCENSIO; ECHO; THE RENAISSANCE SUITE - I. GALLIARD in Sky Blue; II. PAVANE in Burnt Orange; III. BARRIERA in Gossamer Yellow; IV. PASSACAGLIA in Klimt Gold; VENUS in Sunlight Grey; COLOUR ME in Deep Purple; LULLABY in Valley Green; VANISHING. GRACE DAVIDSON, ANNA HALE, Soprano » JOSHUA DAVIDSON, Treble; CLIO GOULD, Violin » CARA BERRIDGE, Cello » REBECA OMORDIA, JULIE COOPER, Piano; ELIZA MARSHALL, Flutes » JOBY BURGESS, Percussion » CAMILLA PAY, Harp; HER ENSEMBLE » OCULUS ENSEMBLE; JESSICA COTTIS Conductor » SIMON HALE Guest Conductor.

Description: ‘Oculus’ means ‘eye’ in Latin, I have always loved being able to look up through a glass skylight or an oculus at the top of a dome at the clouds and the sky - a window into the universe. The chamber orchestra formed for the ‘CONTINUUM’ album recording at Abbey Road in 2021 is also called the ‘Oculus Ensemble’ and features again on the ‘OCULUS’ album. The Italian Renaissance was seen as a cultural rebirth of the arts and science, a time of intense creativity and revolutionary development much needed coming out of the very grim ‘Dark Ages’. A time not dissimilar in devastating effect to what we’ve just been through with the Covid pandemic, and likewise an essential ‘Renaissance’ needed for our Arts. Drawing on new inspirations and feeling a strong sense to look upwards, I found myself rediscovering my love of the iconic Italian Renaissance artists and their groundbreaking discoveries of techniques exploring the effect of light, creating illusionism and understanding perspective through vanishing points. For me the greatest inspiration for all my writing has always started with the artists/musicians I am writing for. The album ‘OCULUS’ also draws inspiration from the synthesis of colour and music through both Italian Renaissance paintings and my fascination with the vividly descriptive colours the Oculus Ensemble’s synesthete conductor Jessica Cottis sees when conducting in specific keys, a gift I wish I shared!