“...an artfully conceived, personality packed synergy between a 21st-century vocal magician, as disciplined and accomplished as any classically trained opera singer, and a superbly judged musical vernacular from Hamilton, blending traditionally conceived orchestral textures with more hard-edged gestures. It’s wildly entertaining, innovative, brilliantly unconventional and yet never overly irreverent. If only all crossover was as insightful and undiluted as this excellent piece.”
“...one of the most successful new large-scale Australian works of recent decades”
INSTRUMENTATIONS
Full orchestra: 2.2.2.2 – 4.3.3.1[opt]. – 2p./timp. – hp. – strings
Chamber orchestra: 1.1.1.1 – 1.1.1.0 – 1p. – 2.2.2.1.1
String orchestra: minimum 3.3.2.2.1
DURATION
Duration: 20 min 'concerto' version or 60 min 'show' version
About
Thum Prints is a concerto for beatboxer and orchestra, created by composer Gordon Hamilton with beatboxer Tom Thum. The piece creates a real dialogue between two worlds: Tom becomes drummer, bass line, sound-effects machine and soloist, while the orchestra responds, imitates, provokes and competes with him. Both sides are complete musical equals without treating the orchestra as backing.
The project has been performed many of times internationally, with orchestras including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, WDR Funkhausorchester, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre national de Lyon.
Thum Prints is fast, virtuosic and very funny. It works particularly well for younger and crossover audiences, while remaining a substantial concerto.
There are two ways to programme Thum Prints:
20-minute concerto
Designed to sit inside a symphonic programme. There is no talking: the movements flow directly into one another and we take the audience on a fast, unpredictable ride.
60-minute complete show
A full evening built around Tom’s personality and his relationship with the orchestra. There is more banter, storytelling, humour and audience participation, in English and/or German, alongside the music. It has the feeling of spending an evening with an extraordinary musical personality, and can work especially well in contemporary or alternative concert venues.
Performance History
May 2015 · Queensland Symphony Orchestra · QSO Current Festival · Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane
September 2015 · Queensland Symphony Orchestra · Brisbane Festival · QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
March 2016 · Manila Symphony Orchestra · Malasimbo Festival · Puerto Galera, Philippines
April 2016 · Queensland Symphony Orchestra · BBC Proms Australia · Hamer Hall, Melbourne
April 2016 · Queensland Symphony Orchestra · QSO Current · Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane
October 2016 · Queensland Symphony Orchestra · Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
July 2017 · St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra · Christopher Festival · Vilnius, Lithuania
September 2017 · Perth Symphony Orchestra · Red Earth Arts Festival · Dampier
September 2018 · Sydney Symphony Orchestra · Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
October 2018 · WDR Funkhausorchester · Kölner Philharmonie, Cologne
March 2019 · Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra · Petronas Philharmonic Hall, Kuala Lumpur
March 2019 · Nürnberger Symphoniker · Musiksaal in der Kongresshalle, Nürnberg
September 2019 · Beethovenfest Bonn · with PODIUM Strings · Telekom Forum, Bonn
November 2019 · Imperial Symphony Orchestra · Polk Theatre, Florida
February 2020 · TEDxGateway Mumbai · with Bombay Chamber Orchestra · Mumbai
August 2020 · Queensland Symphony Orchestra · Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane
November 2022 · Orchestre national de Lyon · Auditorium de Lyon
January 2025 · Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne · Lausanne
January 2025 · Argovia Philharmonic · KIFF, Aarau
June 2025 · The Impossible Orchestra · Festival PAAX GNP · Hotel Xcaret Arte, Mexico