Synergy“Synergy is the finest contemporary music group in Australia, and I am proud to be associated with it”, Peter Sculthorpe, 2008 Synergy is a world of sound with percussion at its heart. The group continues a journey which began 35 years ago, touching audiences with the beauty and expressive diversity of percussion today. With an enviable international reputation as one of Australia’s finest and most versatile music projects, Synergy has performed at festivals throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, as well as most of Australia’s mainstage recital and performance venues. Core members – Timothy Constable, Alison Pratt, Bree van Reyk and Joshua Hill are all award-winning and internationally acclaimed exponents of new music in their own right. The performing style transcends accepted wisdom about percussion music. Synergy is both subtle and a tour de force, descriptive, emotional, melodic and rhythmically athletic. Unique musical architectures are sculpted from such elements as the whisper of crumpled cloth, infectious beats, the delicate beauty of a tiny bell, or the engulfing sounds of large drums, cymbals and gongs. Synergy is at home on world music stages, contemporary/experimental art venues, pop and rock concerts, and opera and recital stages. Its expansive vision of percussion, together with the exceptionally wide musical experience of the members, has allowed the group to work together with a diverse and exemplary family of artists from around the world. Collaborators include Fritz Hauser, Hossam Ramzy, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Aly N’Diaye Rose, Trilok Gurtu, Jose Vicente, Kazue Sawai, Dave Samuels, Evelyn Glennie, Riley Lee, TaikOz, Michael Kieran Harvey, Sydney Dance Company, Meryl Tankard and Regis Lansac, Akira Isogawa, Grainger String Quartet, William Barton, and the Leigh Warren Dancers, the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony orchestras. Synergy has commissioned over thirty works by Australian and international composers. The group commissions internally, and works by ensemble members have been performed internationally to high acclaim. recent performance highlights include the tongyeong international music festival in korea 2011. synergy presented 'hommage À steve reich' in celebration of the composer's 75th anniversary. synergy launched the 2011 youtube symphony orchestra at the sydney opera house and mentored the percussion group in the lead up to the week-long series of concerts, watched by over 33 million people worldwide. Other Performance highlights include performances at the French bicentenary in Paris 1989, the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 1990, ‘Synergy with Synergy’ – a collaboration with Sydney Dance Company which toured Japan and Taiwan 1989, Festival of Asian Arts Hong Kong 1994, Wellington International Festival of Arts 1994, premiere Carl Vine’s Symphony no. 5 “Percussion” with Sydney Symphony, Performances as focal group at the Global Cultural Diversity Conference in Darling Harbour attended by Boutris Gali, Taipai International Percussion Convention 1996, Stockholm international percussion Event 1998, Budapest Percussion Festival 1999, Singapore festival of the Arts 1999, World Expo Hanover 2000, Melbourne Festival 2001, La Batie Festival Geneva/Basel 2001, Warsaw Percussive Arts Festival 2001 and 2005, Brisbane Biennial Festival 2001 and 2003, ‘Mulan’ – with Sydney Dance Company, Shanghai 2005, Commonwealth Games Arts Festival (Percussion Spectacular, Myer Music Bowl) Melbourne 2006. Synergy has performed at the opening of several major venues including the Australian Museum 2001, the Singapore Concert Hall 2005, the Shanghai Arts Centre 2005.
mothLAYERING PERCUSSION, VOICE, ELECTRONICS AND ATMOSPHERIC RECORDINGS INTO UNUSUAL AND EVOCATIVE TEXTURES. kicking drums and bass, luscious vibes and marimba, swirly electronica and noise, soaring vocals, haunting melodies. Combining the diverse styles and sounds of contemporary percussion with catchy pop melodies, driving beats and bass lines, timothy's voice, and ‘orchestral’ electronic soundscapes, Moth OPENs NEW CREATIVE AVENUES FOR SYNERGY’S MUSIC PRACTICE. Its members are all award winning musicians, who have collectively performed with an amazingly diverse list of stars from Australia and overseas. The instrumentation comprises vibraphone, marimba, piano, drums, bass, keyboards and squidstrument (proprietary controller for electronica - rather like a big light table with moving marine-life chess pieces). timothy constable – voice, percussion, programming (Synergy artistic director, solo artist, composer) bree van reyk – drums, percussion (Synergy, Daren Hanlon, Holly Throsby) bob scott – electronica, vibes (Brett Dean) dave symes – bass (Sarah Blasko, Missy Higgins)
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