Joshua Batty on commissioning Lowell Libermann’s Flute Sonata No. 2

Joshua Batty on commissioning Lowell Libermann's Flute Sonata No. 2

Commissioning a new Flute Sonata No. 2 from Lowell Liebermann means an enormous amount to me, both personally and artistically. Liebermann’s First Sonata has been one of the defining works of my life as a flautist. It’s a piece I’ve returned to frequently throughout my career, and one that I think has shaped generations of players. To now be involved in bringing a second sonata into the world nearly forty years later feels incredibly significant — not only for me personally, but for flautists worldwide.

What has always drawn me so strongly to Lowell’s writing is the transporting, almost hypnotic nature of the slower music alongside the groove, propulsion and momentum of the faster writing. The First Sonata, in particular, has a strong sense of atmosphere and direction. Given the near four-decade gap since that work, the arrival of a Second Sonata feels like an important moment for flautists worldwide. There has been so much excitement from the flute community since the announcement, and it seems many people quietly hoped Lowell might eventually return to the sonata form for flute.

This new work forms part of my larger project, Perfect Imperfections, an album and touring concept built around six original works. While each work exists independently with its own identity and sound world, they are united through a broader interest in humanity, honesty, vulnerability and connection.

When working with composers, I always try to remain conscious that the work ultimately comes from their voice and imagination. My role is to share what moves me artistically, the kinds of worlds I’m drawn toward, and the atmosphere surrounding the project. After that, it’s about trust and being inspired by them and their vision.

With Lowell, conversations naturally centred around the sound world and atmosphere of the piece. Works such as Prokofiev’s Flute Sonata, aspects of Liebermann’s First Sonata itself, and certain Shostakovich works became some of the reference points in those conversations. Lowell also spoke of his respect for that musical world and directed us towards his own Second Symphony as a possible indication of the sound world we may be working with.

While many of these works are inspired by personal ideas and experiences, neither Lowell nor I wanted to impose a fixed narrative onto the music itself. Those conversations form part of the creative atmosphere surrounding the project, but ultimately the music has to live independently and be interpreted differently by every performer and listener who encounters it. I think that openness is one of the most powerful things about music — people inevitably bring their own experiences and contexts into what they hear.

The album itself is conceived almost as one continuous arc, inspired in part by the way some modern pop albums create a continuous flow across a record rather than unrelated standalone moments. Threads of poetry run throughout the project, including writing and spoken recordings connected to my late grandfather. Having his voice woven into the album after his death has become incredibly special for my family and, in many ways, feels as though he will be performing on the project posthumously.

One work involves Indigenous Australian artist William Barton in an improvised dialogue between alto flute, didgeridoo/voice and strings built around aleatoric cells and open material, allowing each performance to evolve organically in real time. The work reflects the fluidity of my own journey of being brought to Australia through music and an ongoing dialogue of respect and learning from the oldest continuing living culture in the world.

A new Nocturne from Stephen Hough also carries enormous personal significance for me. As a teenager, I first performed alongside Stephen through the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain while struggling with performance anxiety and unsure of whether I could continue in this profession long term. To now be artistically collaborating with Stephen, with him performing from the piano, feels deeply full circle. His work explores romance, intimacy, queer identity and love, bringing warmth and tenderness into the wider landscape of the album.

Welsh composer Lloyd Coleman, a long-term close friend who wrote my first commission while we were contemporaries at the Royal Academy of Music, contributes a new work for flute and electronics themed around some of the complexities surrounding modern mental health. Australian composer Aristea Mellos contributes a work inspired by poetry written by my late grandfather reflecting on social ideals and pressures surrounding femininity, beauty, youth, identity and self-esteem.

This project will continue to unfold and evolve across the coming years. Several of the works will begin premiering in 2026, including performances at UKARIA Cultural Centre, before the full album release in mid-2027. At the centre of the release will be the premiere recording of Liebermann’s Sonata No. 2, alongside world premiere recital performances with Lowell at the piano in Australia.

Material from Harry Sdraulig’s larger flute concerto already appears within the album in the form of Cantilena, which acts almost like an oasis within the much rawer world of the concerto itself. The concerto, which I will premiere at the Sydney Opera House in 2027, has grown out of nearly fifteen years of friendship and witnessing each other evolve as both artists and people.

Although Perfect Imperfections explores deeply personal themes, I never wanted the project to arrive at a hopeless or dark conclusion. More than anything, I hope these works create a sense of honesty, connection, courage and openness. I hope audiences and performers alike feel invited toward their own imperfections with greater compassion and perhaps even find beauty within them.

I hope this helps younger flautists see that there is no single or linear path through music, just what is meaningful to you. Exploration over success. Whether someone’s future lies in orchestral playing, teaching, commissioning, chamber music, solo performance, or many combinations in between, what matters most to me is honesty, creativity and sharing something genuine with other people no matter how that manifests.

One of the most rewarding parts of this process has been the friendships, shared creativity and exchange of ideas that have emerged through it — with composers, performers, donors, presenters and recording teams alike. Everyone has brought their own passions, perspectives and skill sets into the project.

Ultimately, my greatest hope is that Liebermann’s Sonata No. 2 — alongside all of the works within Perfect Imperfections — takes on a life far beyond these premieres and beyond this project itself. His First Sonata has inspired generations of flautists, including myself, and the idea that a second sonata will now enter that lineage feels incredibly moving. More broadly, I hope all of these works continue evolving through the individuality and imagination of future performers, each bringing their own experiences, perspectives and expression into the music. To know that these pieces may eventually travel far beyond this project — connecting with audiences and performers across the world in different ways — is one of the most inspiring parts of creating new repertoire.