The Sydney Opera House Announces First Nations Contemporary Classical Music Event ‘Music On Tubowgule’

The Sydney Opera House will host a vibrant celebration of First Nations expression through Music On Tubowgule, a double-header event that will showcase the evolution of First Nations music and culture. Through composers, performers and collaboration with some of Australia’s most envelope-pushing music ensembles, the event is expected to display a powerful meeting of ancestral knowledge, modern composition and shared experience.

Held in the Studio on June 26 and 27, the lineup for the event features Eric Avery, Nardi Simpson, Melanie Mununggurr and Netanela Mizrahi with Ensemble Offspring and Arafura Music Collective. 

Avery, a Kabi Marrawuy Mumbulla man, violinist, vocalist, dancer and composer will open up the first night, providing a performance that draws on his family’s custodial songs and speaks to Country and cultural history. Avery infuses classical form with cultural truth, embodying a new wave of First Nations expression unlike ever before.

“It’s such an honour to perform as part of Music on Tubowgule at Sydney Opera House,” he said. “I feel so lucky to be able to create work, to collaborate, and to share.”

Stories of Water and Earth will take over night two, and is a notable collaboration led by the Ensemble Offspring and the Northern Territory’s Arafura Music Collective, featuring Yuwaalaraay woman, composer and performer Nardi Simpson (Stiff Gins) and Yolŋgu woman, poet, storyteller and spoken word artist Melanie Mununggurr. The hour-long showcase will blend instrumental chamber music, beat poetry and dreaming stories, offering up an exploration of music and language of the land and the deep connection between language, Country and experience. The program will feature new work by Mununggurr, co-created with violinist and composer Netanela Mizrahi, who will play alongside her.

"Stories of Water and Earth is a truly one-of-a-kind project, where together, we are able to share important female stories through music, Country, place and culture,” said Ensemble Offspring’s Claire Edwardes. 

“Ensemble Offspring feels incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to develop this work in collaboration with Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson, Djapu woman Melanie Mununggurr and Arafura Music Collective in Darwin. We can't wait to share this rich weaving of cultures, instrumental music, beat poetry and dreaming stories with Sydney audiences.”

Insiders and What’s On pre-sale tickets are available now here, with general public going live on Friday 2 May, 9 AM AEDT. Find all the details for the event below.

Music on Tubowgule

Eric Avery          

 Melanie Mununggurr + Nardi Simpson

(with Ensemble Offspring/Arafura Music Collective)

WHEN: Thursday 26 and Friday 27 June, 7:15pm

WHERE: Studio, Sydney Opera House

TICKETS: $60 + booking fee

Insiders pre-sale: Wednesday 30 April, 9am AEST

What’s On pre-sale: Wednesday 30 April, 10am AEST

General public on-sale: Friday 2 May, 9am AEST