CONTENT COURTESY TURA NEW MUSIC
Tura New Music is heading East in November and December with Kimberley Echoes, to New South Wales, Victoria, and the ACT after Darwin.
Kimberley Echoes is a close collaboration between high-profile First Nation artists and some of the country’s finest instrumentalists, Mark Atkins (didgeridoo virtuoso and singer), Stephen Pigram (guitar and vocals), violinist Erkki Veltheim, guitarist Stephen Magnusson, cellist Tristen Parr, percussionist Joe Talia, and flautist Tos Mahoney (Tura Founder and Artistic Director).
What happens when a group of composers and musicians from a widely diverse background of culture, styles, approaches, and philosophies collaborate over five years across the country we know as the Kimberley but has been known by many, many different names for a very, very long time?
An ensemble called Narli (Nar-lee ), the Yawuru word for “true”, featuring Yawuru man Stephen Pigram, Yamatiji man Mark Atkins — and a production titled Kimberley Echoes. Songs and poems by Pigram and Atkins, arranged by this unique ensemble, are juxtaposed with new music created by the collaboration, all reflecting the complexity and beauty of the Kimberley.
An array of guest artists will join the ensemble for various legs of the tour. For Darwin and Sydney, Yawuru Elder from Broome Jimmy Edgar, a long time collaborator with Stephen Pigram will be featured guest artist.
Bendigo and Melbourne will meet Bart Willoughby, an Aboriginal music icon who was part of the 2017 Kimberley Echoes Tour. Mark Atkins fellow didgeridoo master William Barton, who has been part of Tura’s remote touring program since 20017, joins the Narli Ensemble in Melbourne; and special guest Gija Elder Gabriel Nodea (Warmun) is featured in Melbourne and Canberra.
Nodea will narrate his Warmun story to new music, set to a projected image of his own story painting.
Collaborations with local artists, experiences of traditional Joonba song and dance and touring through the provocative Kimberley landscape, have all weaved their influence into this work and program.
New compositions include Dead Ringers by Erkki Veltheim for didgeridoo, violin, cello, percussion, guitar, flute, voice and electronics; inspired by Erkki’s years of time spent with Pigram on country and the sounds and night skies of the Kimberley.
Various by Stephen Magnusson for guitar, cello, violin and didgeridoo. Kooljaman by Atkins and Mahoney for didgeridoo and flute: an immersive soundscape evoking the country on the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome.
A special edition CD by the same name will be available during the tour, whilst post tour new recordings and videos will be available online.
The 2019 Kimberley Echoes Tour is made possible by the support of Playing Australia, the national regional and remote touring funding program of the Australia Council.
Tura’s annual programs are supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Government of Western Australia through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries in association with Lotterywest.
For more information and tickets kimberleyechoes19.tura.com.au
The Narli Ensemble Kimberley Echoes
Darwin: The Playhouse, Darwin Entertainment Centre, 7.30pm Wednesday November 20
Sydney: Dance Rites, Sydney Opera House, Saturday November 23
Bermagui, NSW: Four Winds Concerts, 5pm Sunday November 24
Wagga Wagga: Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre, 7pm Monday November 25
Albury: Albury Entertainment Centre ,7.30pm Tuesday November 26
Bendigo: Ulumbarra Theatre, 8pm Friday November 29
Melbourne: Melbourne Recital Centre, 7.30pm Saturday November 30
Canberra: Canberra Theatre Centre, Tuesday December 3
