CSO Chamber Ensemble
Harry Sdraulig
Speak
Brenda Gifford
Bardju / Footprints arr. Jessica Wells
Deborah Cheetham AO
Bungaree
Yitzhak Yedid
Mother Tongue
Rhyan Clapham a.k.a. DOBBY
World premiere, CSO commission
Tickets
Adult $54–60
Concession $49–55
Under 30 $30
Student rush $15
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This program draws inspiration from the footprint of culture: how we know and relate to the people around us and the landscapes we inhabit. For thousands of years, these relationships have been shaped by stories, personal narratives and collective histories. Every story is the beginning of a conversation and an opportunity to deepen our understanding of ourselves and others.
The linguistic traditions of these lands have always been oral; text is but a recent technology, while spoken languages have, for generations, been inextricably intertwined with memory. Composed for two violas, Yitzhak Yedid’s Mother Tongue responds to the violence of linguicide (language killing), drawing particular inspiration from the reclamation of the Barngarla language. In two distinct movements, Harry Sdraulig’s Speak explores the external and introspective domains of language.
Deborah Cheetham’s Bungaree invites us to a deeper understanding of our shared history. The piece was originally commissioned for the Flinders Quartet, named for European explorer Matthew Flinders; Cheetham’s piece is named for Bungaree of the Kuringgai nation, who played a vital yet widely unrecognised role in Flinders’ voyages. Rhyan Clapham a.k.a. DOBBY further explores the complex relationship between memory, history and power in a new work.
For Brenda Gifford, music and culture are one. Part of Gifford’s larger Gambambarawaraga cycle, Bardju (Footprints) explores individual and collective footprints, including the composer’s own journey as a Yuin woman and her connection to country. Gifford says the work also represents ‘the need to tread lightly on the earth and treat her with respect.’
Cultural Partner: National Museum of Australia
Part of the CSO’s 2022 Australian Series
Classical music is a living, breathing art form, just as potent and expressive today as in centuries past. We invite you to hear and see differently, to engage with diverse voices and to wrestle with the complexity and beauty of modern existence – through music.
Also in this series:
Australian Series: Stargazers (7 April 2022)
Australian Series: Hearing the Land (1 September 2022)
All CSO events are delivered in line with ACT Government COVID-safe requirements. Read more
