Collective Memory 2022

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This program draws inspiration from the footprint of culture: how we know and relate to the people around us and the landscapes we inhabit. For thousands of years, these relationships have been shaped by stories, personal narratives and collective histories.

The linguistic traditions of these lands have always been oral; text is a recent technology, while spoken languages have, for generations, been inextricably intertwined with memory. Composed for two violas, Yitzhak Yedid's 'Mother Tongue' responds to the violence of linguicide (language killing), drawing inspiration from the reclamation of the Barngarla language. Harry Sdraulig's 'Speak' explores the external and introspective domains of language.

Deborah Cheetham's 'Bungaree' invites us to a deeper understanding of our shared history. The piece was originally commissioned for the Flinders Quartet, named for European explorer Matthew Flinders; Cheetham's piece is named for Bungaree of the Kuringgai nation, who played a vital yet widely unrecognised role in Flinders' voyages. Rhyan Clapham a.k.a. DOBBY explores the relationship between memory, history and power in a new work.

For Brenda Gifford, music and culture are one. 'Bardju (Footprints)' explores individual and collective footprints, including the composer's own journey as a Yuin woman and her connection to country. Gifford says the work represents 'the need to tread lightly on the earth and treat her with respect.'

Featuring the CSO Chamber Ensemble.

Cultural Partner: National Museum of Australia

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