Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

A new musical work by Ad Lib Collective featuring Wind Up Bird, in collaboration with Andrew Nicholls 

Throughout human history solar eclipses have been viewed as omens of pending disaster. Inspired by the 2023 total solar eclipse in Exmouth Western Australia, celebrated contemporary artist Andrew Nicholls has conceived a suite of visual art works speculating about the disaster that this particular eclipse may have been foretelling, to be showcased at Holmes à Court @ No. 10 throughout February.

You are invited to join us at Holmes à Court Gallery for the world premiere of a musical work commissioned by the artist from acclaimed contemporary classical ensembles Ad Lib Collective and Wind Up Bird. Mimicking the timing of the Exmouth eclipse, audiences will experience a sense of the drama and beauty of this extraordinary solar event, with its frenetic build-up of energy, and the uncanny awe of the ‘moment of totality’. Part sonic performance experience and part-magickal ritual, Portent (a ritual) represents a unique collaboration of creative disciplines spanning the visual and performing arts.

Audiences are then invited to return to Holmes à Court @ No. 10 on Wednesday 7 February for the official launch of the Portent exhibition, as part of the 2024 Perth Festival which features the recording of this live performance.

Performance #1

5.30pm - sound installation, doors and bar open 

6.00pm - 6:45pm performance 

Performance #2

8.00pm - sound installation, doors and bar open 

8.30pm - 9:15pm performance 

Ensemble 

Ad Lib Collective: Thea Rossen (Percussion), Ashley Smith (Clarinets)
Wind Up Bird: James Ledger (Synths), Josiah Padmanabhan (Synths)
Lighting: Alex Spartalis GSD

Featured artists

• Music of Ad Lib Collective
• Music of Wind Up Bird
• Performer Thea Rossen
• Performer Ashley William Smith
• Performer James Ledger
• Performer Josiah Padmanabham