The Beagle
Apr 3, 2018
The audiences came from everywhere and the buzz around Bermagui over Easter was incredible.
Above: Shannon plays an intimate recital for two delighted fans
On Good Friday, festival musicians appeared in pop-up performances around Bermagui before putting on a free concert on the Dickinson Oval in the evening showcasing the diversity of festival musicians.
Photos taken by Ben Marden Photography
The feel good Brazilian popular folk music genre called Choro added their own joyous and uplifting end flavour to the evening.
From there the festival located itself at the Four Winds venue just south of Bermagui to be opened with a welcome to country by the Djaadjawan Dancers .
Photo taken by Raine Brown Sunbird Photography
Saturday at Sound Shell was a journey from Indigenous music to the voice of the missions; from Vivaldi to the middle east. One high point was the performance of Ayre by South American composer Golijov. Guy Noble introduced the work, which featured instruments rarely seen in the concert hall, united by a solo soprano Emma Pearson bringing together many of the festival artists in one collaboration.
Photos taken by Raine Brown Sunbird Photography
Sunday began gently with early vocal music performed by Australia’s only professional choir, The Song Company. Performances of favourite composers like Part and Haydn followed. Damian Barbeler’s Eucalyptus was another highlight. The final performance in the Sound Shell was the familiar The Three Dancers by celebrated Australian composers Elena Kats-Chernin.
Over the weekend there were also Youth Program activities featuring Physicality, Percussion and Performance, with renowned circus performer, Sam Thomas on the Friday. On Sunday, under the guidance of composer Holly Harrison, the youth created a Sonic Postcard using new technologies to create original digital works.