Australian Indigenous people have the oldest living tradition on the planet. They have been singing for millennia, their music passing through thousands of generations of ears, hands, and hearts.
In Western classical music, we speak of ‘early’ music; music from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment. A Brief History of Time set Western early music, up to a millennium old, within the time-expanding universe of indigenous music making.
The musicians for A Brief History of Time came from different cultures, generations, and genres. Distinguished not only by their extraordinary skills, but also by their generosity and courage as artists, our cast was assembled from Arnhem Land, Scandinavia, Italy, UK and across Australia.
Performed at UKARIA, 8-11 March 2019 for Adelaide Festival, this series of ten concerts over an intense four days was an extraordinary experience for performers and listeners alike. We were privileged to be in one another’s company, and it felt as though we were immersed in a cultural conversation that moved, challenged, and changed us all.