BY LAURA BIEMMI, TRENDS EDITOR
Since 1991, musicians and audiences from all corners of the country have trekked to Bermagui in New South Wales to witness first-class music performed in the beautiful, natural bush landscape of the state’s southern coast.
The Four Winds Easter Festival has grown exponentially since its inception, expanding from a biennial festival to a year-round program and attracting thousands of people to a variety of venues around the town.
This year, double bassist Rohan Dasika will once again venture to Bermagui to perform at the festival, which is one he regards with much fondness.
“Somehow, this will be my fourth Four Winds Festival!” he muses.
Rohan’s first Four Winds was back in 2014, when he was studying his second year at the Australian National Academy of Music. A few of the institution’s chamber ensembles were set to perform – and they were in need of a bass player. Rohan, of course, rose to the occasion.
“I had a really great time, and have been lucky to get asked back by the subsequent artistic directors.”
Rohan’s no stranger to the travelling requirements of classical performance. The Melbourne-based performer and Freedman Classical Fellowship-winner has worked in Canberra, Philadelphia, Vienna, and most recently, Frankfurt — but the Four Winds Festival is something extra special to him.
“The festival itself is based around the beautiful town of Bermagui, which has become one of my favourite places in the world! Some events are held in the town itself, but most of the concerts are based at the Four Winds site, in either a spectacular outdoor amphitheatre surrounded by nature, or the recently built Windsong Pavilion, which has an amazing acoustic and view of the site.”
To Rohan, the festival provides some pretty exciting ways of exploring music.
“This year, there’s a bit of a Scottish thread running through the festival. I’m excited to see that aspect of [artistic director] James Crabb’s heritage, especially with the Scottish folk musicians who are coming over.”
Rohan is also pleased with how his instrument allows him to connect with a multitude of people, commenting that “one thing I love most about the double bass is that it has such an important role in such a wide variety of music”.
“Playing it brings you in contact with such a diversity of people, and in a festival like this, you really get to explore than in a concentrated setting.”
But for Rohan, the importance of the festival extends beyond those who are participating in a performance capacity. When asked why it’s important to create classical music outside the “big cities”, Rohan replies that “the most obvious answer is that there are people outside the ‘big cities who like this music!”.
“It’s especially meaningful to bring music to this audience at a time where regional communities around Australia are experiencing a variety of hardships. But also, sometimes it just makes for better music!”
To anyone considering travelling to the Four Winds Festival, Rohan is adamant they won’t regret it.
“Do it! If you haven’t been to Bermagui before, it’s a really special place, and in a corner of the world that deserves as much appreciation as possible at the moment.
“And there will be some great musicians playing a bunch of great music, all the while inspired by the beauty surrounding them.”
This year’s Four Winds Easter Festival theme is Live Music in Nature, and it’ll take place from 8-12 April in Bermagui. For full details and the program, including Rohan’s performances, visit the website.
Images supplied.
