Bryony Marks
Composer and writer of The Happiness Box Adaptation
Bryony Marks completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Music Composition for Film and Television with first class honours from the University of Melbourne's Conservatorium of Music. In 2001 she attended the inaugural Australian National Academy of Music Composers' Program, taking classes with professor Simon Bainbridge, Head of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London; and Karen Tanaka, formerly of IRCAM, Paris. In addition to several scores for theatre, Bryony Marks has received numerous commissions, including three string quartets, a quintet and a sextet, an opera excerpt and a one-hour chamber opera entitled Crossing Live, which was premiered by Chamber Made in 2007, winning a Green Room Award for Best New Australian Work (Opera) in the same year.
She has composed extensively for film and television. Credits include Chris Lilley's award-winning series We Can Be Heroes, Summer Heights High and Angry Boys; the Matthew Saville helmed The King, Noise, Cloudstreet, Felony and Please Like Me; as well as Tangle, Hawke, Dance Academy; Goddess, Mrs Biggs, and Anzac Girls.
Bryony was inspired to adapt The Happiness Box to encourage young children to revel in the glorious sounds of an orchestra. She dedicates this orchestral version of The Happiness Box to her two sons.
Composer's Acknowledgements
“To the following individuals, thank you for helping me bring the adaptation of The Happiness Box to fruition: the wonderful families of David Griffin and Leslie Greener, particularly Edward and Alastair Griffin, Dorothy Greener, Helene Chung and Guy Greener; Bronwyn Lobb, who championed the commissioning of the work from the outset, and who is a passionate advocate for music education; Hilary Rogers for her gently meticulous editing of the text; Neale Mar for his sympathetic colourising of Leslie Greener’s black and white images for projection; Amelia Barden, friend and copyist, for a mammoth task completed with a perfectionist’s gaze; the many musicians of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra who gave us feedback on their parts; Stephen Curry for his joyous delivery of the narration for the premiere performances; and finally: Brett Kelly, whose idea it was that I should write a piece for children, who gave generously, with unfailing good humour, of his expertise and time to critique, proofread and suggest changes to better the work at every stage of its development: it simply wouldn’t exist without you.
To Symphony Services Australia, the Robert Salzer Foundation and Father Arthur E. Bridge for Ars Musica, thank you for supporting the arts in Australia, and in particular this adaptation of The Happiness Box.”