Nobody could fault Academy Singers in the variety of music they present in concert. From the Argentinian folk mass Misa Criolla to Schubert's part songs to liturgical music for Palm Sunday, the choir has now spun around the globe to present a program of Indonesian and other Asia-inspired music.
Academy Singers (directed by Paul Terracini) is joining forces in this concert with the Sydney gamelan orchestra, Langen Suka, to be held at St Hilda's Anglican Church, Katoomba at 3pm on Saturday, November 23.
Academy Singers is joining forces in this concert with the Sydney gamelan orchestra.
The introduction of gamelan into western music is particularly interesting. Tucked away in a forgotten corner at the Paris Exhibition in 1889 was a Javanese gamelan orchestra, and listening with fascinated attention was none other than French composer, Claude Debussy. He found tremendous inspiration in gamelan music, not its surface exoticism but the details of its structure, texture and modality.
He wrote, "Javanese music obeys laws of counterpoint that make Palestrina seem like child's play and if one listens to it without being prejudiced by one's European ears, one will find in it a percussive charm."
This concert will be a rare opportunity to hear a genuine gamelan ensemble. For every adult ticket sold, $5 will be donated to Stop the Traffik to prevent and abolish human trafficking. Tickets are adult $30; concession $25; child $10; family $70 at the door or at www.academysingers.com.au.
