An update from Ensemble Offspring on our Covid-19 response and plans for the remainder of 2019.
As the NSW lockdown restrictions ease, we cautiously hold onto the hope that we have seen the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. We look to returning to some degree of normalcy and the completion our season in a new format.
Most of our already cancelled events for 2020 will feature in our 2021 program which will launch later this year, so rest assured you will not miss our unique Sizzle, Shivers on Speed and Young at Heart programs. We also have several online programs launching in the coming months:
- Songbirds will be released on ABC Classic on 12 June. Songbirds features recordings of the works we have performed around the country for the ‘Birdsong at Dusk‘ program and includes beautiful works by Gerard Brophy, Fiona Loader, Jane Stanley, Hollis Taylor & Jon Rose, Felicity Wilcox, Brett Dean, Kate Moore and Tristan Coelho inspired by the music of Australian birdsong and performed by the trio of Claire, Jason and Lamorna. The first two singles, Lorikeet Corroboree by Fiona Loader and Beautiful Birds I: Lyrebirds by Gerard Brophy are available to purchase and stream now.
- July will see the rolling out of our new ‘Hatched Home Academy’ mentoring program; these one-on-one sessions with all of our core musicians are aimed at young composers and musicians and will include instrumental lessons, composition workshops and career and industry advice. We will also begin to work with the Hatched Home Commission recipient on their new work.
- From August we will premiere 15 brand new videos from our ‘Lone Hemispheres’ project, featuring our virtuoso musicians in solo settings. The program will include works by Australian composers including Andrew Ford, Alex Pozniak, Cathy Milliken, Elizabeth Younan and Liza Lim, alongside international giants such as Tristan Murail, Kaija Saariaho, Iannis Xenakis and Giacinto Scelsi.
- Later in the year we will also be releasing recordings from the latest edition of our ‘Offspring Bites’ series of new Australian commissions including works by Alex Pozniak, Thomas Meadowcroft and Holly Harrison. In September also look out for a special birthday surprise – to be announced soon!
- The remainder of 2020 will see us working with First Nations Composers on their new works for Ngarra-Burria with a live concert still planned.
- Our ‘Hatched Summer School‘ concerts in December will also go ahead.
- Finally we collaborate with the wonderful folks at Bundanon on Sonic Sites on Saturday 31 October – a festival at the Bundanon Homestead which will celebrate the bush and pay homage to the recent fires in the area. Supported by the Australia Council for the Arts, new commissions by Brenda Gifford (our 2020 First Nations Composer), Bree van Reyk, Damian Barbeler, Amanda Cole and Tristan Coelho will be premiered by Ensemble Offspring collaborating with video artist Sam James, Nowra East Public School Choir and members of the Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra.
Of course any live performance activity into the future will depend entirely on the state of Covid-19 and the avoidance of a second wave of infection. To that end, we want to emphasise the continued importance of social distancing, personal hygiene, mask wearing and generally looking out for each other. We will indeed be continuing to prioritise this with our staff and musicians over the coming period.
Remember to refer to our website and social media channels for all updated Ensemble Offspring information.
Peace, love and music.
Claire, Nick and the whole team at Ensemble Offspring