To Listen, To Sing – Ngarra-Burria: First Peoples Composers

Ngarra-Burria (“To listen, to sing”, in the Dharug language of the Sydney area) is an internationally award-winning program that builds bridges for First Peoples musicians to step forward, further develop their composing skills, and connect with the art music sector. Initiated by Dharug composer Chris Sainsbury in 2015/16, the program takes composers on a voyage of deep participation with mentoring, workshops, recordings and performances.

“Our program is about Indigenous-led change,” says Dr Sainsbury. “Compared to their counterparts in fields such as the visual arts, film, theatre and dance, First Peoples composers have been under-represented in Australia. The music created through the Ngarra-Burria program presents some of the lesser-known narratives of this country.”

Ngarra-Burria was internationally recognised as a recipient of the 2022 Classical:NEXT Innovation Award.

Performed by the brilliant artists of Ensemble Offspring, this album celebrates the creative vision of 12 of the program’s leading alumni: Eric Avery, Rhyan Clapham (Dobby), Marlene Cummins, Brenda Gifford, Tim Gray, James Henry, Will Kepa, Mark ‘Munk’ Ross, Troy Russell, Elizabeth Sheppard, Nardi Simpson and Aaron Wyatt. Each composer brings to their music the stories of their own country and peoples, as well as drawing on their extensive experience as established performing artists across a broad range of genres.

“We’re not new,” says Dr Sainsbury: “Just previously unheard.”

Tracklist

1. Troy Russell – Nucoorilma (The Apple Tree) (2017)

2. Brenda Gifford – Gambambarra (Spring) (2017)

3. Eric Avery – Gliding (2020)

4. Aaron Wyatt – Cirrus (2022)

5. Rhyan Clapham – Pitara Yaan Muruwariki (2017)

6. James Henry – Zoom Meeting (2020)

7. Brenda Gifford – Djana (Talk) (2020)

8. Mark Ross – Streets of Sydney (2022)

9. Nardi Simpson – Burruguu (2020)

10. Tim Gray – Lupe! Scene 4: A Serial Killer’s Mind, Parts 1 & 2 (2017)

11. Marlene Cummins – Starting Over (2021)

12. Nardi Simpson – Wilga’s Last Dance (2019)

13. James Henry – The Rains (2020)

14. Elizabeth Sheppard – Kooranginy (2017)

15. Will Kepa – Ailan Opping (2020)

16. Brenda Gifford – Bardju (Footprints) (2017)

Performers

Claire Edwardes (Artistic Director, percussion)
Lamorna Nightingale (flutes)
Jason Noble (clarinet, bass clarinet)
Alexandra Osborne (violin)
Freya Schack-Arnott (cello)
Brendan Clarke (double bass)

Acclaim

★★★★½ “The fruits of the enterprise are heard here in performances by Ensemble Offspring, that splendid Sydney-based band led by Claire Edwardes… In time, this album and its successors may become historic, as much for their origins as for the quality and appeal of the performances of music in which all Australians might take pride.” – The Australian

★★★★½ “First Nations composers have been given their own voice in a superb album jointly enabled by the Ngarra-Burra artist development program and ground-breaking Sydney group Ensemble Offspring.” – Limelight

Credits

ABC Classic Productions Editor – Natalie Shea
Cover Image – Elaine Russell
Recorded on the traditional land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.
Producers – Brooke Green, Andre Shrimski, Stephen Adams
Engineers – Virginia Read, Jolen Camilleri, Andrew Edgson, Jason Blackwell, Christian Huff-Johnston
Matering – Alex Stinson, Andrew Edgson
Partners – Moogahlin Performing Arts, Australian National University School of Music, Australian Music Centre, Eora Centre, Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Thanks to Christopher Sainsbury for his vision for First Peoples composers.

Released 2022