Where Song Began

'Where Song Began' is a musical celebration of Australia's birds and how they shaped the world. Join two of Australia's most adventurous musicians, Simone Slattery (violin, vocals, Australian National Academy of Music) and Anthony Albrecht (cello, The Juilliard School), for a concert experience like no other, described as "Spectacular" by Limelight Magazine. Performed more than 70 times in sold out halls around the country and the winner of a Ruby Award from Arts South Australia, the show highlights the evolution of songbirds on Gondwana, and how they have shaped human appreciation of beautiful sounds. Inspired by leading ornithologist Tim Low's award-winning book, this 50-minute performance explores the Australian origins of song, the birds that can sing. Such is their evolutionary significance, one may ask whether human music would have reached the heights it has, had the first songbird not sung in an Australian rainforest. Accessible for all ages, this work encourages the audience to contemplate the origin of song and the importance of Australia's rich and colorful bird history, as well as their evolutionary and cultural influences in Europe and North America. The program includes music spanning 300 years, from Johann Heinrich Schmelzer and J.S. Bach to Arvo Pärt and new Australian works, enhanced by a film of evocative visual projections, and an immersive soundscape. About the performers: Simone Slattery was a 2018 Churchill Fellow, received a Ph.D. in Music Performance from the University of Adelaide and performs regularly with Australia's finest ensembles. Anthony Albrecht is an Australian graduate of The Juilliard School's Historical Performance program and enjoys an international career. Performance length: 60 minutes without interval, including a Q&A. For more information about this program visit www.wheresongbegan.com Adults $35, Concession $30, U18 $5 Program: Arvo Pärt - Fratres for solo violin, 1977 Sarah Hopkins - Reclaiming the Spirit, 1993 Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending, 1917 Chris Williams - bird, songs, seas, 2017 Ross Edwards - Ecstatic Dance No.2, 1990 Johann Heinrich Schmelzer - Cucu Sonata, 1664 J.S. Bach - Prelude from Cello Suite No.1, c.1720 David Lang - Anthochaera carunculata (Red Wattle Bird), New Commission, 2017 Ngarra Burra Ferra - Yorta Yorta hymn Presented by the Bowerbird Collective, Madjulla Inc. and the Broome Bird Observatory.