Ensemble offspring: composing song lines

Ensemble Offspring, led by acclaimed percussionist and Artistic Director Claire Edwardes, will perform highlights from the past five years of Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers.

The line-up features celebrated First Nations composers from widely varied musical backgrounds, some of them joining in person:

• Nardi Simpson – Yuwaalaraay writer, musician, composer and educator from North West NSW freshwater plains. She is the founding member of Indigenous folk duo, Stiff Gins. Her debut novel, Song of the Crocodile was shortlisted for the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (Indigenous Writing) and the Indie Book Awards (Debut Fiction), and longlisted for the Stella Prize 2021;

• Brenda Gifford – Yuin contemporary composer, recently awarded a Prelude residency at Peggy Glanville-Hicks Composers House in Paddington for 2022;

• Eric Avery – Ngiyampaa, Yuin, Bandjalang and Gumbangirr violinist, dancer and composer, recently awarded a Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship for 2021;

• Troy Russell – Biripai/Gamillaroi musician and dance film teacher at NAISDA; and

• Rhyan Clapham a.k.a DOBBY – Murrawarri and Filipino rapper, drummer and music composer.

The performance will be followed by a 20-minute Q+A hosted by Beau James, Head of First Nations programming at Sydney Opera House.

‘Ngarra-Burria’ are Dharug words meaning ‘to hear, to sing’. The program builds bridges for First Peoples musicians to step forward, further develop their composition skills, and connect with the art music sector. Initiated in 2017 by Dharug composer Christopher Sainsbury, the program takes a two-year cohort of composers on a voyage spanning the many realms of art music, including contemporary classical/new music, jazz, experimental, sound art and installations. Partners include Moogahlin Performing Arts, Australian Music Centre and Australian National University.