"Who can fail to be transported by these tantalisingly sultry, inspired dances?" - AUSTA Stringendo Magazine
Classical ARIA chart topping artists Vov Dylan (Violin) and Margaret Brandman (Pianist and Composer) unite to bring an album of all new Australian compositions to life.
At the core of the album is La Vida Apasionada, Margaret Brandman’s new suite for small ensemble that presents eight new Latin-American styled compositions written specifically for Vov Dylan and his orchestra. The album goes on to present Brandman’s duet works for Violin and Piano where Margaret Brandman herself performs alongside Vov.
This is Vov Dylan's 14th album release with his label Ambition and his second release with a focus on new Australian music. Vov's journey with new Australian music has been about finding new and relatable melodies and bringing them to audiences globally.
Each selection on this album is now on multiple exam syllabi as well as on the recommended list of music for students undertaking senior core HSC music requirements and as a result has now also borne a new educational workshop program!
 | LA VIDA APASIONADAMarch 2025Stream Here:iTunes Spotify YouTube Music Amazon Music Tidal Deezer Download fromView the full album art as a pdf |
"The music of Margaret Brandman is superb – modern works with a tonal basis, a melodic richness and yet possessed of a clear and innovative compositional voice, characterized by an engaging harmonic world, a great sense of architecture and a powerful and poetic expression." — Marilyn Schock, Presenter FINE MUSIC FM Sydney, Australia
| Track Listing | LA VIDA APASIONADAEIGHT LATIN-AMERICAN STYLE PIECESFOR SMALL ENSEMBLE01 TANGO APASIONADA SELECTIONS FOR VIOLIN AND PIANOCOSMIC WHEEL OF THE ZODIAC09 THE RAM IN SPRING BONUS TRACK11 JUCARO RHUMBA D’AMOR |
| Performers | Tracks 01 - 08 Solo Violin: Vov Dylan Obligato Violin: Mar'yana Sywak Violincello: Michal Wieczorek Double Bass: Nicole Murray-Prior Guitar: Brian Dean Percussion: Logan McCrory Piano and Glockenspiel: Margaret Brandman Tracks 09 & 10 Violin: Vov Dylan Piano: Margaret Brandman Track 11 Violin: Vov Dylan Piano: John Martin |
| Recording Details | Recorded at Underwood Studios in Sydney's Blue Mountains. Mixed and Mastered by Michael Cristiano (Melbourne Australia). Released by Ambition. The suite La Vida Apasionada was commissioned by Vov Dylan. Original artwork and logo by Gemma Ferguson. |
Program Notes |
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| About Composer Margaret Brandman | Margaret Brandman is a multi-award-winning composer who has received wide acclaim for her powerful compositions, characterized by an original tonality, melodic richness and engaging expression. Her catalogue includes orchestral, chamber, piano and solo instrumental works as well as vocal and choral works, composed across a wide range of genres from contemporary classical through to Jazz and Latin-American. Brandman is a represented composer at the Australian Music Centre. Her works are published by Furore Music in Germany, and JazzEM Music in Australia. Her recorded music is released on the following labels: Navona records, Ansonica Records, Ambition Records, ModernClassicalX, and JazzEM. Her music is performed regularly in concert by both herself and a cohort of highly-skilled performers and receives frequent international airplay. Over the years, she has presented many concerts of her works in Australia, England, America and the Netherlands. Brandman began her musical studies at age four, studying accordion and piano, taking up both guitar and clarinet in her teens. Her education, supported by formal studies in piano, clarinet, harmony and composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, covered many styles of music. Upon graduation from the Conservatorium of Music High School in 1969, she achieved third in the state for music, and was subsequently awarded a scholarship to the University of Sydney where she studied composition with Australian contemporary classical composer Peter Sculthorpe. In 1975 she was awarded B. Mus (Composition), having already acquired her A. Mus A. (piano) and Teacher of Pianoforte (T.Mus.A) diplomas. She has since also been awarded the F. Comp. ASMC.,.F. Mus. Ed. ASMC., and L. Perf. ASMC degrees by the Australian Society for Musicology and Composition, Hon. FNMSM (UK), the Dip. E in Piano Pedagogy of the World Piano Teacher's Association (Serbia) and the Hon. D.L from the IBC. She has also received the World Forum's Distinguished Intellectual Contribution Award (2012) for the continent of Australia for her performances and lectures in the UK. She has twice taken out the BEST FOREIGN COMPOSER award from the Artemis Film Festival in Los Angeles. In 2021 she won the award for SPIRT VISIONS Symphonic Tone Poem which appears on Polarities Vol.2 (nv 6353) and in 2019 she won the award for Firestorm Symphony (III) which appears on her solo album SENSATIONS – Wind, Waves, Birds and Fire (nv6041). In May 2023 her album Binna Burra Dreaming (cello with piano) released on the AMBITION Label (AMB (201) achieved number one position in the Australian Classical and Classical/Crossover ARIA charts. In September 2024 her work Fiesta de la Luz, commissioned by the Beecroft Orchestra, received its premiere performance at their “New Sounds for Spring’ concert. Apart from her career as composer, Margaret is also a respected pedagogue and author of an extensive range of innovative music education materials. Many of her compositions are listed in examination syllabuses in Australia and the UK. The Australian Guild of Music and Speech have included over 40 of her piano compositions in their 2025 syllabus and have published her jazz influenced arrangement of Waltzing Matilda in their 6th grade ‘Piano Odyssey’ publication. In 2022 'Jucaro Rhumba D'Amor' was included in the AMEB Series 10 Grade Seven, Violin publication, while 'When Spirits Soar' is listed on the ABRSM (Associated Board - UK) syllabus for eighth grade Soprano Saxophone. All the works in the violin and piano versions of the La Vida Apasionada Suite and all her ‘cello works are included in the Australia Music Centre’s recommended lists for HSC and VCE examinations for 2025 and the entire La Vida Apasionada solo piano suite is set for performance for L.Mus (AGMS). Throughout her illustrious career, Margaret has found joy in every facet of her musical journey. She is constantly invigorated and inspired to create new works and attributes her creative vitality to collaboration with fellow musicians, cherishing the opportunities to record and perform her compositions alongside a community of talented artists. |
LA VIDA APASIONADA - EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS
Both Violinist Vov Dylan and Composer Margaret Brandman have a substantive background in music education, teaching privately as well as in both public and private schools throughout Australia and abroad.
Both Dylan and Brandman have recognised that amongst the wealth of educational support that is available, there is a space for a unique educational program for year 11 and 12 senior school students.
Together they have devised a 1 to 3 day workshop (length depends on the amount of students) which incorporates:
a) composition masterclasses with Dr Brandman (award-winning composer and educator with multiple works for educational purposes published and used by schools and private tutors globally)
b) individual performance workshops with Vov Dylan and other performers focused on core Australian music.
c) ensemble training and collaboration where all students get to work in an ensemble conducted by Vov Dylan where students are performing a work by Dr Brandman and finding ways to communicate and collaborate to bring their own suggestions to elevate the music in performance.
d) performance opportunity. To conclude the workshop, there will be a performance for parents and the local community where a select number of students will present their solo works. This will then followed by Vov, Margaret and the principal members of the Palace Orchestra performing the suite La Vida Apasionada, concluding with a performance of the combined item where all students and professionals unite on stage.
| More Details | COMPOSITION WORKSHOPS These workshops are run directly by Margaret Brandman and include direct feedback on compositions currently being worked on by students, alongside ways to create compositions with mindfulness towards HSC marking. This mind map outlines the starting point of the masterclasses Margaret will be running: Margaret Brandman's Composition Mind Map PERFORMANCE WORKSHOPS Australian Music is a core component of HSC Music. These performance workshops focus on how to bring these unique compositions to life. The performers and teachers in this program have all a) worked directly with composers to introduce new works b) given world premiere performances of Australian music c) taught students who have been nominated for ENCORE HSC performances. These workshops will not focus on instrumental techniques - rather focus on interpretation, composer intent, how the music fits the Australian Classical music landscape, how to find space for individual interpretation with the work and ownership of the performance space and narrative. All performance workshops are done in a open setting where all students can learn from each other. ENSEMBLE WORKSHOPS The ensemble workshop will be built around working on the suite's finale: "Jucaro Rhumba d'Amor". The workshops will include details on how to work on a new piece, how to work with a composer, and how to find space to suggest ways to make the arrangements, voicing, and performance better to suit the performance group at hand. Below are the first 12 bars of some of the individual charts we have, so that you can see the layout and difficulty for school ensembles.
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LA VIDA APASIONADA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO
The sheet music for Violin and Piano arrangements of these works has been released by Margaret Brandman. The book of sheet music includes notes for performance approach and adaptability to different grade levels by Vov Dylan.
Below are selections of the review on this sheet music from AUSTA's Stringendo magazine:
"Brandman's suite of 8 new Latin-American influenced works for violin and piano was commissioned by violinist Vov Dylan. This reduction of the ensemble score has also been arranged for solo piano and other instruments including cello.
Vov Dylan has contributed very helpful performance notes on each dance together with gradings that indicate suitability for HSC presentations and advanced AMEB levels.
All the duet works for both violin and cello are on the AMC’s recommended works for HSC for 2024.
The violin part incorporates double stop passages, imbuing it with extra rich harmonies.
Each dance is meticulously crafted, and while demanding technical proficiency, allows room for embellishments and flamboyance to bring out their rhythmic élan and character; as Vov Dylan points out, giving the performer lots of scope for cheeky playfulness.
Who can fail to be transported by these tantalisingly sultry, inspired dances?"
| Watch Vov Dylan and Margaret Brandman perform an overture to the Violin and Piano suite
| A look behind the scenes at the recording process
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| Vov Dylan and Glenn Amer performing Jucaro Rhumba d'Amor in Queensland February 2025 | Vov Dylan performing Jucaro Rhumba d'Amor on board cruise ships with different ship musicians: |