First Rhythms
"A virtuosic clapstick cadenza performed by the composer melded traditional and contemporary techniques into a captivating display of timbre and rhythm"
— The Melbourne Age
ADAM MANNING AND AUSTRALIAN ART ORCHESTRA
First Nations composer and musician, Adam Manning joins forces with renowned creative music ensemble, Australian Art Orchestra for a performance that reimagines clapsticks, First Nations rhythms and visual art to explore the living pulse of Country. Blending traditional percussion with modern instruments, improvisation and notation, it creates a living dialogue between sound, movement, and Country. This performance is guided by the Indigenous understanding that everything is alive and carries a pulse – such as the earth’s natural rhythm.
In the words of Manning, a Kamilaroi man, "Working with the AAO allows me to place the clapsticks at the centre of a conversation - not just as instruments, but as carriers of memory, movement, and connection to Country. This collaboration with the Australian Art Orchestra is more than a performance - it’s a living dialogue. I feel like we’re creating a sonic canvas where tradition and innovation meet, grounded in the pulse of Country".
DURATION
75 minutes
SENSORY & CONTENT WARNING
First Rhythms will feature an accompanying video work of under 15 mins duration that may include strobing/flashing light & colour - but not at the full intensity that show lighting strobes would produce.
ACCESSIBILITY
Newcastle Conservatorium is wheelchair accessible, with ramp access, accessible viewing and wheelchair accessible amenities.
ARTISTS & COLLABORATORS
Adam Manning - composer, percussion
David Jones - drum set, percussion
Australian Art Orchestra:
Aaron Choulai - AAO Artistic Director, piano
Lizzy Welsh - violin
Tamara Murphy - contrabass
Zoë Barry - cello
SOCIAL MEDIA
www.instagram.com/adam_d_manning_/
www.instagram.com/australianartorchestra/
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Proudly supported by Create NSW.The premiere of First Rhythms is presented in collaboration with the Australian Art Orchestra, and commissioned by Melbourne International Jazz Festival. This project is supported by the Federal Government through Creative Australia, and supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. The New Annual season is supported by New Annual funding and Create NSW.
