'Where Song Began' - musical performances in Brisbane
Submitted by Monica on 03 Oct 2018.
‘Where Song Began’ is a musical celebration of Australia’s birds and how they shaped the world. Performances in Sandgate and Brisbane with special guest speaker - author, Tim Low.
Inspired by leading ornithologist Tim Low’s award-winning book, this 50-minute performance explores the Australian origins of songbirds, ‘the birds that can sing’. Such is their evolutionary significance, ‘one may ask whether human music would have reached the heights it has, had the first songbird not sung in an Australian rainforest.’
Accessible for all ages, this work encourages the audience to contemplate the origin of birdsong and the importance of Australia's rich and colourful bird history. The program includes music spanning 300 years, from Johann Heinrich Schmelzer and J.S. Bach to Arvo Pärt and new Australian works, enhanced by a film of evocative landscape stills, moving images and bird call field recordings sourced from the Cornell Ornithology Lab.
About the performers: Simone Slattery was recently awarded a PhD in Music Performance from the University of Adelaide and performs regularly with Australia’s finest ensembles. Anthony Albrecht is an Australian graduate of The Juilliard School’s Historical Performance program and is now based in London.
More info visit www.wheresongbegan.com
Tickets available on the door and online. Adults $30, Concession $25, U18 $5
SANDGATE - Thursday 11/10, 7:30pm
Sandgate Town Hall, 5 Brighton Road, Sandgate, QLD
BRISBANE - Friday, 12/10, 7:30pm
St Mary's on the Cliffs, 455 Main Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane
Special Guest Speaker - author, Tim Low
Performance length: 60 minutes without interval, including a Q&A
Program:
Arvo Pärt - Fratres for solo violin, 1977
Sarah Hopkins - Reclaiming the Spirit, 1993
Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending, 1917
Chris Williams - bird, songs, seas, 2017
Ross Edwards - Ecstatic Dance No.2, 1990
Johann Heinrich Schmelzer - Cucu Sonata, 1664
J.S. Bach - Prelude from Cello Suite No.1, c.1720
David Lang - Anthochaera carunculate (Red Wattle Bird), New Commission, 2017
Ngarra Burra Ferra - Traditional Indigenous hymn
ABC Radio National Feature: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/where-song-began/9811914
Music Australia article:
https://musicaustralia.org.au/2018/07/music-meets-birdcall-the-australian-way-where-song-began/
These performances are supported by Birdlife Southern Queensland. $1 from every ticket sold will be donated to Birdlife.
