SPARK, BLOOM!

2026 Australian Series

PRESENTED BY:



Percussion meets K-pop

After her exhilarating performances of Dances with Devils in 2023, star percussionist Claire Edwardes returns to the CSO for a new collaboration.

The inspiration is the National Museum of Australia’s upcoming K-pop exhibition Hallyu! The Korean Wave, and Claire will be joined by charismatic South Korean jazz vocalist Sunny Kim for a program to spark your imagination – filling the Gandel Atrium with brilliant colours and electrifying rhythms. Holly Harrison’s Creature Feature was a highlight of the 2024 Canberra International Music Festival – a showstopping musical carnival with a ‘fiendishly difficult’ marimba part. Claire has matched this epic, virtuoso piece with some her favourite percussion miniatures.

The resulting sound world is a patchwork garden, from the meditative mood of Ella Macens Falling Embers to Bree van Reyk’s witty fanfare for three tambourines, and the excitement of hi-hats and chimes in Katy Abbott’s Taking Chances. Two premieres, including a new CSO and NMA co-commission, and an improvisation for voice and percussion promise to make this concert one of the highlights of the season.

PROGRAM

Robert Davidson
Sparks*

Katy Abbott
Taking Chances (arranged by Eric Willie)

Bree van Reyk
Fanfare for Solidarity

Sunny Kim & Claire Edwardes
Improvisation

Ella Macens
Falling Embers

Holly Harrison
Creature Feature

Sunny Kim & Hilary Kleinig
New work for voice and percussion quartet*
(CSO and NMA co-commission)

ARTISTS

Sunny Kim vocals

Claire Edwardes percussion

CSO Percussion Trio

Jessica Cottis presenter

* Premiere

When

Duration

Approximately 1 hour

Where

Accessibility

Ticket prices

Type Price
Adult $68-80
Concession (means-tested pensioner, full time students) $60 - 70
Under 35 $35
Student rush $16
* Transaction fee will be applied