In his final year as Artistic Director, Roland Peelman has chosen to open the festival with William Barton, Persian tar player Hamed Sadeghi and Belgian jazz pianist Bram De Looze, as well as Lior and Nigel Westlake’s Compassion. Guitar virtuoso Pavel Ralev, violist Florian Peelman, France’s Trio Karénine and Dudok Quartet Amsterdam all make an appearance, as do Bach Akademie Australia and Luminescence Chamber Singers, in what promises to be an exciting week in the nation’s capital.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

In the midst of the pandemic Andrew Ford found himself creating simple songs in order to connect people in simple ways, be it as a community choir, or as a stranded soloist. Ford turned to the idea of hymns for any type of singer, trained or untrained, in group or as a solo. Over a period of time an entire collection of Red Dirt Hymns emerged, using new texts by Australian poets.

Over the last two years Luminescence Chamber Singers has generously dipped into this collection and then wanted to do more. In collaboration with two versatile musicians, Luminescence now brings the entire cycle to life as a living songbook grounded in the red dirt of Australia.