A monthly conversation with Mary Graham, a Kumbumerri and Wakka Wakka woman, and her colleagues, to explore the sophisticated and complex Aboriginal worldview and the ethos of relationality to maintain stewardship.
Australia Becoming.
A joint initiative of The Woodhead Climate Nursery - BrisWest Centre - Magda Productions
We can’t avoid the bitter truth of the foundation of the contemporary Australian State. Settler colonialism sought to totally remove the Peoples of the First Nations and lock away the knowledge they had acquired over 65,000 years of their Stewardship of this continent. The brutal patterns of this subjugation persist to this day, in our laws, our systems and our continuing failure to let these people speak.
The consequences of ignoring the caring guardianship of this continent these Knowledge Holders had built up over 65,000 years are now brutally rebounding on us. We are confronted by climate change, biodiversity loss, and the pervasive malaise of “unsettlement” that many Australians now speak of. We need to ask these Stewards for their guidance.
In these monthly Conversations with Mary Graham and her colleagues we will talk about all this, share our responses, discuss actions we can take. We will explore the sophisticated and complex Aboriginal Worldview and consider how a society built on the ethos of relationality has been able to maintain, and continue, a nourishing Stewardship alongside (and not over) the other beings and species of the continent.
These conversations form part of a much broader project that we are rolling out over the coming months. This quest - Australia becoming … - will focus on the incomplete task we all face - to carve out a new way of “Becoming” on this continent. It will pick up questions such as:
How is Australia becoming … civilised? Caringly and authentically civilised.
How is Australia becoming … a staunch and proud Guardian? How are we safeguarding the extraordinary beauty of this continent and maintaining it as a safe and nourishing place for all the humans and other-than-humans who live here.
How is Australia becoming (again) … a country on which we can all “settle”? For the next 65,000 years.
If you have the dauntless optimism to join us on these quests, we’d love you to come along to this first Conversation.
These conversations are planned as opportunities to share ideas respectfully and with a hearty dose of informality. Join us early, say 9:30, for introductions and coffee if you like. Mary will talk from 10:00 a.m., we’ll break again for morning tea, and then move into a wider chat among us all until midday.
Select tickets | Australia becoming ... a conversation with Mary Graham | Humanitix
Grisha Goryachev
Grisha Goryachev is renowned for his extraordinary musical sensitivity and technical virtuosity. A master of both flamenco and classical guitar, he is one of few guitarists in the world who are reviving the tradition of solo flamenco guitar in a concert setting. Grisha strives to keep alive older flamenco masterpieces that now exist only on records by performing them in concerts. He exposes the audiences to some of the best guitar compositions flamenco has to offer. Instead of merely copying, Grisha creates his own interpretations of these masterpieces, using dynamics and tone colours usually associated with classical music.
Guitar Brisbane presents British-French guitarist and composer, Laura Snowden; acclaimed for her ‘poise and intensity’ (Guardian) and playing of ‘extraordinary depth’ (Strings, Classical Music Magazine).
Following a standout performance in the 2019 Guitar Brisbane Concert Series, Brisbane International Guitar Festival, Guitar Brisbane and Magda Productions are proud to welcome back Derek Gripper!
Following a standout performance in the 2019 series, Guitar Brisbane is pleased to welcome back Derek Gripper; a South African classical guitarist with a unique improvisatorial and cross-cultural style
Rhythmic storyteller and multi-instrumentalist Rory McLeod is a travelling troubadour toting stories and songs that are bold, percussive, lyrical and deeply personal. Wielding guitars, harmonicas, trombone, spoons, stomp box, tap shoes, a big heart and a cheeky wit, his shows are enthralling and unforgettable. "I've travelled to look for work, to mend a broken heart, to be with someone I longed for. I'd travel to visit friends and on the way I'd make new ones; I'd roam because I was curious to see what was around the next corner..."
"Music is the social act of communication among people, a gesture of friendship, the strongest there is.”
"Among the plethora of bands playing Balkan and Gypsy music in Australia these days, one rarely encounters high-level musicianship so completely intertwined with sheer gusto as is the case with the Balkanics."
Magda's is delighted to support the first Folk at the Bloodhound concert featuring the Celtic sounds of The Barleyshakes, the smooth silky voices of Fly Little Sparrow and the crazy Italian folk, Zumpa. They will be celebrating in musical style the end of spring and start of summer!
Magda Productions is thrilled to bring back to our stage, the East of West trio, who will play compositions from their freshly released debut album - Little Harbour, as well as a selection of new compositions.
Magda's is delighted to bring to Brisbane 2 of Australia's dynamic and exciting musicians: Flamenco Guitarist, Damian Wright; and tabla player extra-ordinaire, Bobby Singh. From the fiery heart of flamenco Spain to the pulsing throb of India, tonight's concert will be a feast of Hindustani Classical and flamenco - 2 seasoned performers bouncing off each others' traditions, technical skill and improvisational beauty.
Why commemorate "Armistice Day"? It was the day that the guns fell silent on the Western Front, and WW1 officially ended. The western world celebrated peace as a universal principle. With the war ending, nations mourned their dead collectively - and people called for an end to all wars, continuing a long standing commitment by substantial numbers of people for a cessation of militarism. Armistice Day was born and was designated as “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated." In reflecting back on the 101 years since that first Armistice Day, it is time we faced our history and collectively make an Armistice here - with the First Nation Peoples of this land.
Tango Enigmático and Magda Productions bring you a night of music full of passion and pain, flirtation and fire, nostalgia and nonsense. The tango is the music of emotion, of experience - and of the people. ‘A Night in Buenos Aires’ will feature Tango Enigmático’s spirited depictions of the tango in a tribute to this genuine and uniquely Argentinian art form.
Magda Productions is so pleased to bring back the combined talents of Brisbane's Amadeus Orchestra, (now under the baton of Andrew Mear), Bardon Strings and the Chantefique Choir.
Magda Productions is delighted to welcome back Brisbane's own Monique Clare this time teaming up with The Claretet and special guest, Joe D'Esposito. Think Joe of The Railsplitters, and the Freewheel Trio.
Guitar Brisbane is proud to host a masterclass with one of Australia’s leading instrumentalists, Timothy Kain, featuring students from the Queensland Conservatorium and University of Queensland. Tim is renowned for his work as a teacher at the ANU School of Music, where he built Australia’s leading guitar area over a period of 30 years. A long list of his students have won prizes in international competitions and have gone on to enjoy successful performing and teaching careers themselves.
Guitar Brisbane and Magda Productions present Virginia Taylor & Timothy Kain; Australia's premier flute and guitar duo. Virginia Taylor and Timothy Kain have toured and recorded for over 20 years, including tours for both Musica Viva and the ABC in Australia and overseas. The Medium is the Magic explores the irresistible combination of flute and guitar.
Guitar Brisbane presents The Medium is the Magic; the irresistible combination of flute and guitar explored by Australia’s premier flute and guitar duo, Virginia Taylor & Timothy Kain.
Magda Productions teams up again with Menaka, performing songs from her recent debut album, “My Eyes Can See”. This critically acclaimed CD and her spectacular debut at BEMAC brings Menaka to the forefront of local / international creative singer-songwriting - merging myriad cultural heritages and genres. Few songwriters can seamlessly merge 3 languages into 1 song: Hindi, Tibetan and English!
Guitar Brisbane presents Mandolins in Brisbane; Queensland’s foremost mandolin and guitar ensemble.
Guitar Brisbane and Magda Productions present Gian Marco Ciampa & Campbell Diamond; two multi-international award-winning guitarists.
Guitar Brisbane and Magda Productions present the Rosa Guitar Trio; a dynamic emerging chamber ensemble know for its energetic and joyful performances of diverse repertoire that spans centuries and genres.
Guitar Brisbane presents the Rosa Guitar Trio; a dynamic emerging chamber ensemble know for its energetic and joyful performances of diverse repertoire that spans centuries and genres.
Guitar Brisbane presents Derek Gripper; a South African classical guitarist with a unique improvisatorial and cross-cultural style.
Guitar Brisbane and Magda Productions present Derek Gripper; a South African classical guitarist with a unique improvisatorial and cross-cultural style. Derek’s concerts explore the dialogue between the disparate styles that have informed his work to date: Kora, Bach, South African jazz, Contemporary Classical and large scale improvisations. Quotations of Bach, Malian songs, virtuosic kora compositions, Southern African bow music, and avant-garde Brazilian guitar music combine to create a new solo guitar which is at once intimate and explosive, improvised and composed, traditional and new.
Magda Productions presents Campbell Diamond; Cologne based, internationally awarded, classical guitarist. Campbell will be performing works by Tárrega, Paganini, Telemann, Piazzolla, Houghton and more.
