The Australian Art Orchestra is a group of outstanding musicians who explore, expand and nurture unique music making with a focus on innovative collaborations and partnerships.
Scott Tinkler's 'folk' @ Wangaratta Jazz Festival
Finishing off the year in true AAO style, Scott Tinkler and 'folk' presented Scott's brand new work at this year's Wangaratta Jazz Festival on Friday 30th October.
To read more about this year's Festival and keep up to date on reviews and news from the show, check out the Wangaratta Jazz Festival site.
The Chennai Tapes @ Melbourne Recital Centre, 11 Oct 2009
Check out more footage from the show on our AAOvideo channel.
"Born out of a relationship strengthened over thirteen years of collaboration between the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) and Sruthi Laya Ensemble, The Chennai Tapes (Into the Fire) is an utterly stunning accomplishment. Built on the South Indian Carnatic tradition, the programme is interpreted by some of Australia’s leading jazz players under the direction of Adrian Sherriff to remarkable effect". (Zoe Rinkle, Arts Hub)
The Chennai Sessions CD available NOW at our online shop
More about The Chennai Sessions and Into the Fire.
The Chennai Tapes @ Melbourne Recital Centre, audience survey
If you attended The Chennai Tapes at Melbourne Recital Centre on Sunday 11th October and would like to fill out our online survey, please follow the link below:
Thanks for coming and for your input. Your feedback is valuable to us and we appreciate you taking the time to tell us what you think.
Crossing Roper Bar wins @ 2009 Classical Music Awards
Image credit: Nick Kind
Congratulations to all involved in the Tura New Music and Australian Art Orchestra Crossing Roper Bar Top End Tour 2008 - proud winners of the 2009 Classical Music Awards 'Outstanding Contribution to Australian Music in a Regional Area'. The group closed out the Awards Ceremony in Sydney on Monday night to rapturous applause and great delight all round. Well done guys!
The Chennai Tapes / Into the Fire Australia Tour 2009
Following on from the incredibly successful tour of Hyderabad, Mysore, Bangalore and Chennai in June 2008, which played to sell-out audiences in their thousands, the Australian Art Orchestra (led by Paul Grabowsky with the project's Musical Director, Adrian Sherriff) and the Sruthi Laya Ensemble (led by Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani) join forces once again to present The Chennai Tapes / Into the Fire - this time on Australian soil.
For two nights only, these musical maestros will present the latest incarnation of what has proved to be one of the most significant collaborations in the AAO's unique musical history.
7.30pm, Sat 10 October 2009, Oz Asia Festival, Festival Theatre, Adelaide.
6pm, Sun 11 October 2009, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne.
A new AAO CD - 'The Chennai Sessions' - will be released in conjunction with these events.
Read more about The Chennai Tapes / Into the Fire.
Watch excerpts from previous performances and tours.
The Indian musicians will also be part of a week long residency at Griffith University in Queensland, following their Adelaide and Melbourne performances.
Crossing Roper Bar Forum and Concert
"A performance of the Crossing Roper Bar, a collaboration between the AAO and the Young Wagilak Musicians drew a large and very enthusiastic audience on Friday evening to the Melbourne Recital Centre - it’s a rare night when audience members cry out “thank-you” at the end of performances here."
Read whole review by Gary Anderson from Arts Hub.
Image credit: Jeff Wassmann
Australian Art Orchestra and the National Recording Project present a forum and concert featuring Crossing Roper Bar, Friday 28th August 2009.
Join us in this afternoon and evening of events exploring the Crossing Roper Bar collaboration between the Young Wägilak Group from Arnhem Land led by Benjamin Wilfred, and the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) led by Paul Grabowsky, which presents traditional Wägilak music and dance from Arnhem Land in an electrifying marriage of the very old and the very new.
FORUM
Registration from 2.20 pm. Forum: 3 pm to 6 pm
Federation Hall, Victorian College of the Arts
Cnr St Kilda Rd and Grant St, Southbank
Session 1: Meet the Artists Benjamin Wilfred, Paul Grabowsky, Tony Hicks, Evan Wilfred, Daniel Wilfred, Wesley Wilfred, and Aaron Corn (Chair) Meet the artists in this engaging live exploration of the creative process behind Crossing Roper Bar, the dynamic musical traditions that this work brings together, and the ancestral legacy conveyed by its Wägilak contributors.
Session 2: Indigenous Heritage, Musical Futures An open panel discussion with Deborah Cheetham (VCA), Jason Eades (Koorie Heritage Trust), Lyndon Ormond-Parker (U Melbourne) and Aaron Corn (U Sydney)
This is a free event but seats are limited. To reserve your place, email roperbar@gmail.com. Registrations must be received by Monday 24th August.
CROSSING ROPER BAR CONCERT
7.30 pm, Friday 28th August, 2009
Melbourne Recital Centre
Cnr Southbank Blvd and Sturt St, Southbank
Having toured Australia and recently recorded at Allan Eaton Studio in St Kilda, Crossing Roper Bar now comes to Melbourne’s new Recital Centre for one night only. In the interest of building awareness of the National Recording Project, Forum participants will be eligible to buy Crossing Roper Bar Recital Centre tickets at the discounted price of $25/$15 (normally $50/$35).
These tickets can be paid for and collected at the Forum event. Cash is preferred but Visa and Mastercard are also accepted.
Enquiries, bookings, registration forms: roperbar@gmail.com
Buy Melbourne Recital Centre concert tickets here
Read more about Crossing Roper Bar
Watch footage from the show.
Ruby's Story @ Wagga Wagga
Image credit: James Knowler
"What an amazing, memorable night out! Ruby’s Story had it all, heartfelt stories from Ruby Hunter; full of humour, sorrow, fun and love, the Australian Art Orchestra hanging onto her every word with soulful, intuitive jazz." (Kezia George, ABC)
This ever-popular show which follows Indigenous singer/songwriters Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach through their journeys and experiences as members of The Stolen Generation, plays at the Civic Theatre in Wagga Wagga, 8pm, Wednesday 26th August 2009.
Buy tickets through the Civic Theatre site.
Read more about Ruby's Story
Watch extracts from Ruby's Story
Crossing Roper Bar @ Parliament House
Image (l-r) Wesley Wilfred, Mick Dobson, Benjamin Wilfred, Jenny Macklin, Niko Schauble, David Wilfred
On Friday 3rd April 2009, the Australian Art Orchestra and the Young Wagilak Group were invited to perform 'Crossing Roper Bar' at Parliament House in Canberra as part of the Federal Government of Australia's formal recognition of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
To see more on this historic event, and the AAOs part in the celebrations, simply click here.
For more information about the 'Crossing Roper Bar' project, read the recent Rhythms Magazine article by Tony Hillier.
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