Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

Elysian Fields is an ongoing experiment in creating new improvised and composed repertoire for the electric viola da gamba, of which Jenny Eriksson is believed to be the only Australian exponent. Widely recognised as one of this country’s leading viola da gambists (a seven-string, bowed Baroque instrument) and an expert on the music of its era, Jenny has performed and toured across Australia and around the globe. Jenny has also performed and recorded with jazz and world music artists for many years. Prior to Elysian Fields, her collaborators included Llew and Mara Kiek and Steve Elphick from the Mara! band, horn player and composer Paul Cutlan, Joseph Tawadros, Kevin Hunt, and more. The backbone of Elysian Fields’ performances comprises original works written specifically for its line-up, such as Matt McMahon’s ‘For Thomas Wyatt’ – “eloquently elegiac, its melody Celtic, its tone dark; electric viola da gamba, piano and bass guitar in melancholy embrace”.

Ephemera Trio is a musical exploration of celestial landscapes such as pulsars, craters, planetary atmospheres, stars, sun and void. Merging the sound worlds of jazz and contemporary classical music, and set to real space sounds, this is an original sonic experience. The three instrumentalists play against a backdrop of real NASA recordings compiled by astronomer Professor Paul Francis – electromagnetic waves from planets and stars. Their debut album Orbits and Riffs was released earlier this year to critical acclaim: “Full of sonic textures and infinite possibility, this is one of the true concept albums of recent years. FOUR STARS.” – Peter Wockner, Jazz and Beyond. Each member brings their own unique voice to the ensemble drawing from a multitude of musical backgrounds. Elsen is a new music specialist, Will is a jazz trumpeter and Keyna is a jazz, classical and flamenco musician and composer. They combine to create a distinctive sound world, taking stellar concepts as their musical inspiration and sonic backdrop.

Further information for this event is available online at the event's website or by phone on (02) 9036 6292 or by email to admin@sima.org.au

Featured artists

• Jazz/improvisation by Keyna Wilkins
• Presented by Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA)
• Jazz/improvisation by Elysian Fields
• Jazz/improvisation by Ephemera Trio