Entry By Donation 

Eric Avery

Eric Avery Kabi marrawuy Mumbulla, is a violinist, vocalist dancer and composer from Ngiyampaa, Yuin and Gumbangirr people of NSW. He works with his family’s custodial songs and his haunting compositions often feature him singing while playing violin, predominantly in the Ngiyampaa language.

Quickly gaining an international reputation, Eric has appeared alongside and in association with some of the greatest artist of our time, from Yo-Yo Ma to Tina Arena. He has commissions and performances booked with Camerata Quueensland, Ensemble Offspring, the JACK Quartet, Marrugeku and several of Australia’s major orchestras. He is a 2021 Myer Creative Fellow.

Since taking to the stage Eric has captured the hearts and imagination of audiences and artists around the world.

Jali Bubba Kuyateh

Born in Casamance, the southern region of Senegal, Jali Buba grew up living between neighbouring countries Gambia and Senegal. He comes from the griot-famous Kuyateh family of Medina Wandifa in Senegal. A griot is a renowned West African storyteller, singer, musician and oral historian.

Griots often accompany their stories and songs with music, namely the kora, and Jali Buba Kuyatehcontinues this tradition with his eclectic sound of African beats that are complemented by western undertones.

The kora is a stringed instrument that resembles the harp and lute, which Jali has played since he was five years old. By the time he was ten, he has already composed three songs and was destined to be an artist. Now living in Victoria, Jali has appeared on festival line-ups around Australia including WOMADelaide, Melbourne International Arts Festival, Woodford and Port Fairy Folk Festivals. He has also performed with some of Australia’s top musicians including jazz legend Bob Sedergreen, guitarist Doug DeVries, and West African musicians Afro Moses and the Mohata brothers.

Meremba

Intricate guitar and rich sonic piano-scapes form the basis of this sister duo’s original music.

Their Americana and Celtic roots are a subtle aftertaste in their thoughtful explorations of love, loss and the human connection. Laura’s “spinetingling” compositions combine with Susie’s “beautiful sound full of storytelling” and results in their truly unique sound.

Piano and vocals -Laura’s background is in composition, with a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium. She has written for multi award winning ensembles Mara! And the Marenitsa Choir, for Aria nominated ensemble Chaika. Her cinematic sounds are influenced by the work she has done in the music departments of nearly 40 films, with credits such as Moulin Rouge, Babe and Australia.

Violin, Guitar, Vocal – With a background in opera, Susie moonlights in many different musical arenas, from singing in the Australian opera, to playing Irish fiddle at the local pub, to jazz baroque fusion with Elysian Fields. Other ensembles include Mariais Project, Chaika, Miriam Lieberman Trio and Ensemble Trio.

Aruna Gandhi

An acclaimed performing artiste, choreographer and educator, Aruna Gandhi specialises in the Indian-classical dance style of Bharatanatyam. She trained under the renowned artiste Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy in Chennai, India.

With an artistic journey spanning almost four decades, she received the ‘Distinguished Talent Visa’ in Australia in 2013.  Aruna presents solos in Bharatanatyam, collaborates with artistes for cross-artform projects, facilitates ‘Creative Movement’ workshops and is the Founder-Director of ‘Silambam-Sydney’ an institution for fine arts in South-West Sydney. Celebrating its 15th Anniversary this year, Silambam Sydney has groomed beautiful dancers who are now pursuing their art with great dedication and love for their art.

Since 2009, Aruna has performed at various mainstream and community events around Sydney and previously all over India. Her dance projects have won community grants from Fairfield & Liverpool city councils. She is a tutor at Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE) and is also a curator of community cultural events and festivals.  Her mission is to represent the Indian artistic and spiritual tradition and the multicultural face of Australia around the world.

Bubbuzouk

Sydney based five-piece traditional Greek band. New and emerging and not to be missed! Hailing from depths of little Athens AKA Marrickville, Bubbuzouk will be boarding the magic bus up to the hill top and things are gonna get… Greeky.
The 5-piece band features:
• George Doukas – Vocal, Guitar, baglama
• Helene Ioakimidis – Vocal, percussion
• George Xenikis – Bass
• Themelis Samarkos – Bouzouki, vocal

All the members have a background in Greek traditional and Rembetiko music and have performed in various festivals and venues throughout the country. With the exception of Themelis, the others have been playing together for a number of years firstly with the George Doukas Rembetiko Ensemble and more recently with the “D Strings” and have just completed a series of shows around Australia. The addition of Themelis to the band brings an even more authentic feel to their sound with his vast repertoire and experience in the Rembetiko genre. The band will play a selection of classics from the Rembetika genre as well as traditional folk music – just the tonic needed for a winter’s afternoon in the mountains.

Narrownecks

With American old time string band roots, Narrownecks are based in Katoomba, Australia. Fiddler David Hoffmann (USA) is a multi-generation old time musician and has been surrounded by the music of the Appalachian Mountains since he was in the womb.

Clawhammer banjo player Harry O’Donovan (CHW) has brought a love for Indian and world music to the folk scene and incorporates his traditional frailing banjo style and exceptional ear to fill out the melodies. Susanne “Skye” Evans a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist based in Katoomba, hailing from Nebraska USA. Skye, brings an evocative Americana style with her emotive double bass lines and haunting vocal harmonies. Whether stomping along to a traditional 19th century fiddle tune, or humming along to a three part vocal harmony, Narrownecks are sure to keep you coming back for more.

Shohrat Tursun

Of Uyghur background (a Turkic-speaking minority ethnic group from the Central Asian region), Shohrat Tursun arrived in Australia in 1999 in pursuit of a better life and to escape the oppression he had experienced. Although he left his homeland, he didn’t leave behind his passion for his Uyghur culture.

“When I was six years old, my father introduced me to traditional Uyghur music,” says Shohrat. “I have been performing on stage ever since.”

A seventh-generation musician, Shohrat learned everything he knows from his father He is a now a world-renowned vocalist / muicisian and has travelled the world performing the hidden treasures of his cultures. He plays the dutar – a traditional long-necked, two-stringed lute – and lends his soaring vocals to traditional Uyghur ballads. He is also well known for performing the UNESCO-protected Uyghur song cycle Muqam Rak, a scale-based song with verses telling different stories of ancient times. The Uyghur Muqams act as the history books of East Turkistan, recounting tales of ancient mythologies, historical events and figures – tales very close to Shohrat’s heart.

“I am very proud of my culture, and its beauty,” he says.