Tract was commissioned by the 2010 Adelaide Festival and premiered at the festival by the London Sinfonietta with the Young Magilak Group and Veltheim as improvising violinist.
Erkki Veltheim and a core group of the Australian Art Orchestra have been working with tradition songmen from Arnhem Land since 2005, when AAO Artistic Director Paul Grabowsky went to the remote community of Ngukurr on the Roper River with the idea of combining traditional Aboriginal song with contemporary Western instrumental music.
And that’s exactly what they’ve done!
Tract is work performed with 15 instruments, combining a wonderful and unique combination of the old and the new. Highlighting the power of music, it elaborates on the bridging of cross-cultures, time and space. Based on the Manikay (song cycle), Tract features Veltheim as improviser, providing the ensembles between the link between the ensemble and the Young Wagilak Group.
The program will also include the world premiere of Smoke by Paul Grabowsky, commissioned by ANAM; and Glass by John Rodgers.
