Where Song Began

The Bowerbird Collective: Simone Slattery (violin) | Anthony Albrecht (cello)

From the creators of Life on Land’s Edge & Songs of Disappearance (No.2 on the ARIA charts), “Where Song Began” is a musical and visual celebration of Australia’s birds and how they shaped the world. Inspired by leading ornithologist Tim Low’s award-winning book, this performance explores the Australian origins of songbirds, ‘the birds that can sing’.

Accessible for all ages, this work contemplates the origin of birdsong and the importance of Australia’s rich and colourful bird history. The program includes music spanning 300 years, from Johann Heinrich Schmelzer and J.S. Bach to Arvo Pärt and new Australian works, enhanced by a film of evocative landscape stills, moving images and recordings. Photo credit: ABC Tiger Webb.