2022 - 2023 SEASON

Championing Diversity in Australian Art Music

BackStage Music had an exciting and ambitious program for our 2022/2023 season, featuring incredible artists from a wide range of backgrounds. Lamorna Nightingale co-curated each program with artists who have a unique voice and story to tell. Leaders in their community, these artists offered audiences a glimpse into their world and an opportunity to gain new perspectives.

Thursday 25th August - Blue Mountains + Friday 26th August - Cope St Waterloo

Through the medium of electroacoustic music the ‘EarthBound’ program delves deep into the complexity of our relationship with our environment amidst the growing catastrophe of climate change. Curated by Fiona Hill, the program features Alana Blackburn on recorder, Veronique Serret on violin and Emma Harlock on bass guitar. Works include Unsuk Chin's Double Bind? for violin and live electronics alongside works by women composers from Western Sydney and regional NSW.

Sunday 6th November - Cope St Waterloo

Celebrating curiosity and the mind of the musical inventor with experimental installations, musical machines, performances and sonic experiences. Curated by Damian Barbeler this program will feature works from Climate Notes, an installation and performance project by Anna McMichael (violin) and Louise Devenish (percussion).

Sunday 4th December - The Church 9 Mitchell Rd, Alexandria NSW

Coinciding with International Day of People with Disability, this concert brings people with disability to the concert hall stage. The program curated by Georgia Scott and Morwenna Collett includes music by Georgia Scott, a new multi-media work by film composer Kristin Rule, and performances by Nat Bartsch and Ria Andriani alongside a new electroacoustic work by Rebecca Bracewell which explores the politics of listening and deafness through the sound potential of hearing aids. 

Saturday 4th February - Woodburn Creatives, Cope Street Waterloo

Ensemble Offspring brings together a crack team of Sydney’s finest percussionists with 2021 Freedman Fellowship winner, the Melbourne violinist Kyla Matsuura Miller to play the Lou Harrison Concerto for violin and percussion ensemble alongside new works commissioned by Kyla as part of her Freedman project.

Saturday 4th March - Woodburn Creatives, Cope Street Waterloo

Threshold celebrates emerging and experimental voices in sound and music performance whose heritage arises from Asia or the Asian diaspora. Curated by Victoria Pham the program features Emerging Spoken Word - Gloria Demillo, Film/installation artist - James Nguyen, Violinist - Flora Wong, Dizi - Chloe Chung and Erhu Nicholas Ng. 

Saturday 10th June - Woodburn Creatives, Cope St Waterloo

Big Noters refers to the music of which we play and perform and in doing so, a few of us have come together to showcase our Big Notes and to share our musical journeys with audiences. Amelia Taylor, Michael Birk, Gii Music headed up by Troy Russell and Tim Gray from Green Hand Band make up the first lineup of many Big Noter Gigs to come. What better place to showcase these amazing Aboriginal Artists than Redfern.

“Barely two years old, Backstage Music is one of the most exciting recent developments in Sydney’s musical life, and judging by the audience (a veritable who’s who of Sydney’s new music scene) there’s definitely an appetite for this kind of event – especially with a headliner the calibre of Claire Chase.”  - Angus McPherson, Limelight Magazine

“BackStage Music on Friday night was exactly what my brother and I needed. The week had been fairly crazy and we needed to mentally close the door, allowing the weekend door to open... The friendly and social crowd arrived. You could feel the excited energy for what they were about to experience. It was a full house. It was great to see. It was also great to see people looking around the space they were in, a new venue for living music, Woodburn Creatives.” -Kate Tribe, ClassikON

With thanks to our funding partners