Tammi Gissell and ensemble conducted by Roland Peelman. Photo: Peter Hislop.
Canberra International Music Festival / Concert 21, “Rainbow Serpent”, James O Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery Of Australia, May 9. Reviewed by
LEN POWER.
THE myths of the Rainbow Serpent have cultural significance around the world.
Its meaning can differ greatly between indigenous peoples so it was appropriate that this concert entitled “Rainbow Serpent” should have a variety of elements.
After singing a tentative version of “Advance Australia Fair” called “Anthem Combined”, the first performer, Joe Geia, an influential singer/songwriter in the development of contemporary indigenous music, hit his stride with three of his own songs.
Heather Lee and Kim Cunio.
A DAY of music making at Belco Arts tops off this year’s Canberra International Music Festival, with free performances by DJ Diola, Super Rats, ANU Young Musicians Ensemble, Tiwi Strong Women, Jess Green, Golden Gate Brass Quintet, Kim Cunio and Heather Lee with Samarai Cunio and Woden Valley Youth Choir, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen, 10am-4.30pm, Saturday, May 8.
THE May edition of the LGBTQI+ Elders Dance Club Canberra, a free social event for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse and intersex elders and allies is on at Ainslie Arts Centre, 31 Elouera St, Braddon, this Sunday, May 9, from 1-3pm.
Jazida hands around the dance cake.
THERE were “Happy Dance Day” greetings all round this morning (April 19) at Belco Arts, with the launch of International Dance Day and Ausdance ACT’s Dance Week.
ACT Arts Minister, Tara Cheyne was on hand to perform the honours, while describing the coming program as “breathtaking” and praising Australia for its diversification and lowering the barriers to make sure we could all “dance more and dance often”.
Ausdance ACT CEO Cathy Adamek was moved to tears as she read the Dance Day statement for 2021 from Stuttgart Ballet’s Friedemann Vogel, which began: “everything with movement and dance is movement, movement refined to communicate”.