Art Gallery of New South Wales 'Resonate' Concert curated by Sally Walker, celebrating 150 years of the AGNSW

Abstract

'Resonate 2021' was a concert curated by musician Sally Walker to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Art Gallery of NSW, held in the iconic entrance court of the Gallery. The program was drawn from the date of the AGNSW's opening 1871 to the present day. It featured celebratory music program, inspired by the Gallery's collections of Indigenous, Asian, Islamic, European and contemporary Australian art while embracing the excitement of Sydney's Modern. It feaured performances from Hugh Barrett, James Beck, Kim Cunio, Emily Granger, Bernadette Harvey, Susannah Lawergren, Heather Lee, Rachael Thoms and Sally Walker including original works by Kim Cunio, original arrangements by Rachael Thomas and a premiere by Ngarra-Burria Frist Nations composer Elizabeth Sheppard, commissioned by Sally Wslker. To celebrate 150 years of the vast scope and experience of the AGNSW, an equally wide-reaching, genre-rich program was assembled The concert began with a nod to one of the lesser casualties of the Pandemic; we just didn't hear enough Beethoven in his 250th commemoration. The AGNSW describes its building as "classically elegant"; this description can also be applied to Ludwig van Beethoven's Theme and Variations from the Trio in G Op. 37 (Sally Walker - flute, James Beck - Pianist Bernadette Harvey). Another composer who was prodigious from a young age and indeed in fields including mathematics and astronomy as well as music, Camille Saint-Saens was at his most prolific in the very years that this gallery was being built. James Beck and Bernadette Harvey performed The Swan, from his Carnival of the Animals. As a Homage to the European immigrants who travelled to far continents and brought aspects to their culture from their homeland with them, flautist Sally Walker and harpist Emily Granger performed the nostalgic Caf 1930, by Astor Piazzolla, whose birth centenary is this year. Coming to a Jazz standard, Johnny Green wrote Body and Soul, famously known as the song that begins with a rest with the three lyricists Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton, especially arranged by vocalist Rachael Thoms who sang it with Hugh Barrett on piano. For many years, the Art Gallery of NSW has played a major role in furthering understanding and enjoyment of Asian art and culture and the Asian collection covers two floors. Profoundly inspired by East Asian culture, Australian composer Anne Boyd's Goldfish through Summer Rain was performed by flautist Sally Walker and harpist Emily Granger. As a special feature tonight, we have Dr Kim Cunio who composed the music for the gallery's "Arts of Islam Exhibition" and his wife, soprano Heather Lee, who performed these original works with Kim at the time. Together, they performeed Rustam and the Dragon (from the Shahnameh). Coming to the present day, Rachael Thoms especially arranged Joni Mitchell's ballad Both Sides Now and performed it with Hugh Barrett. Elizabeth Sheppard, who is part of the Australian National University Ngarra Burria program for First Nations composer especially arranged her work Koordaboodjar Heartland, a lament for unresolved racial conflict and a call for Treaty which was performed by flautist Sally Walker (who commissioned it) and harpist Emily Granger. The concert concluded in the spirit of celebration with Kim Cunio's, Uskudar, also from "The Arts of Islam Exhibition" performed by most of the evening's performers. Show more