Blue Peter (for flute and piano) received High Commendation in the Flute Society of NSW’s “Composition Competition, 2020”.

The score’s title — borrowed from nautical terminology — refers to a distinctive blue and white flag which, when flown by a ship in port, signals the vessel’s imminent departure and summons all passengers and crew on board.

Composed as a single movement (Effervescente; crotchet = c. 120), Blue Peter sustains a high­spirited mood from beginning to end. Like a gull on the wing, the flute melody rises and falls with artful panache, taking full advantage of the instrument’s range. The percussive nature of the piano part aids and abets the flute’s narrative in its evocation of the excitement surrounding the Blue Peter signal, the imminent voyage, the impatience of luffing sails and the glitter and dazzle of the sea, creating a rhythmic drive that propels the music all the way to its jubilant conclusion. – M.O.