Making music for regional communities “is a responsibility of any Australian artist”
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE Alexander Voltz is based in Brisbane — a city boasting well over 2 million inhabitants. But the composer has found new inspiration […]
australian arts journalism
Why we’re exploring music in all its forms
BY CHLOE HASSON, BLUE STOCKINGS In early 2020, I received a message request from a girl named Alison Paris. She had a vision: she wanted […]
Musical reflections on light and darkness, love and loss
BY JENNY ERIKSSON, THE MARAIS PROJECT FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR The idea for The Marais Project’s most recent album Australian Monody was more prosaic. It […]
Julius Schwing is creating new guitar techniques from his Bruny Island studio
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE Living in Tasmania carries with it a feeling of remoteness. We are far away from the place we call “the mainland”, yet […]
Eisteddfods are essential to young musicians – even in a pandemic
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE A memory. I am 14 years old, and have entered into the local eisteddfod. I’ve been learning the piece for months — […]
The beautiful story of how your violin is made
BY JESSIE WANG, LEAD WRITER (COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL AWARENESS) If you’re a string player, have you ever wondered how your instrument is made? Sure, you […]
Rachelle Durkin was “creeped out” by this scary opera — and she sings the lead
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE We all know what it feels like to lose a little sleep. Whether we’re excited about a big commitment, or worried we’ll […]
Harpist Emily Granger has filled her solo album with new Australian music
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE Harpist Emily Granger knew exactly what she wanted on her debut solo album — and it’s probably not what you’d expect. The […]
My arts career during COVID: Katie Yap, Wattleseed Ensemble
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE The entire nature of our industry has shifted. Living and working through the pandemic, Australia’s musicians have been forced to rethink their […]
The new Hush album is “pure comfort” for mothers and carers
BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE Kate Miller-Heidke describes The Healing Tree as “pure comfort”. The idea for this single swirled in her mind when, before the pandemic, […]