TICKET PRICES
Adult | Premium $89, A Reserve $79, B Reserve $69
Festival Friends | Premium $76, A Reserve $67, B Reserve $59
Concession | A Reserve $64, B Reserve $55
40 & Under | A Reserve $40, B Reserve $35
Student | A Reserve $35, B Reserve $30
nyilamum – song cycles is a concert program that intertwines ancient stories and a celebration of language with contemporary reflections on land, identity, and resilience featuring music from Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung Dr Lou Bennett AM and Paul Stanhope.
Two works by Dr Lou Bennett open this concert with an exploration of the deep connections between people, music and the land. baiyan woka, which translates from Yorta Yorta language as “singing for country/land”, is birthed from the understanding that we are all connected. jaara nyilamum is a sacred story of life, loss, and rematriation after 99 years of separation from Country.
Paul Stanhope’s String Quartet No.3, From the Kimberley, reflects the dramatic landscapes and complex histories of the Kimberley region inspired by the story of Jandamarra—a Bunuba man and tracker— and explores themes of pursuit, lament, and hope for the continuity of life and culture amongst conflict.
This program culminates with the Australian Premiere of nyilamum – song sycles, a collaborative First Nations-led work by Dr Bennett and Stanhope. Receiving its World Premiere at the 2024 String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, it now makes its highly-anticipated debut at the Adelaide Festival. Here the Quartet becomes the voice of Country, guiding nyilamum home to her final resting place among the treetops. Experience this significant new work for the first time in Australia.
CONTENT WARNING
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned the subject matter of this performance includes stories of the deceased.
PROGRAM
DR LOU BENNETT AM (ARR. IAIN GRANDAGE)
baiyan woka
DR LOU BENNETT AM (ARR. IAIN GRANDAGE)
jaara nyilamum*
PAUL STANHOPE
String Quartet No.3, From the Kimberley**
DR LOU BENNETT AM & PAUL STANHOPE
nyilamum – song cycles (Australian Premiere)***
Dr Lou Bennett AM – voice
Australian String Quartet
Dale Barltrop – violin
Francesca Hiew – violin
Chris Cartlidge – viola
Michael Dahlenburg – cello
nyilamum – song cycles is presented by Australian String Quartet and Binung Boorigan in association with Adelaide Festival
We acknowledge the Jaara Community and the stories they hold.
Image © Eduardus Lee
*Commissioned as part of Quartet & Country, a commissioning project by the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and its 2016-2019 Artistic Director, composer Iain Grandage, UKARIA and the Australian String Quartet
** Commissioned for Musica Viva Australia by Huntington Estate and Friends to mark 25 years of the Huntington Estate Music Festival. Composed especially for the Goldner String Quartet in celebration of their 20th anniversary in 2015. Melody for Dirrari Lament composed by Molly Jalakbiya. Used with permission of the custodians of this song, June Oscar and Patsy Bedford (Bunuba Community, Western Australia)
*** Commissioned by the ASQ with generous support from the nyilamum – song cycles Commissioning Circle and other donors
DURATION
90 minutes including interval
NOTE
Performed in Djab Wurrung and Yorta Yorta languages
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