One of Australia’s best didgeridoo players and composers, William Barton, is joining John Foreman and the 60-piece Aussie Pops Orchestra for a magnificent night of music at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on Friday 22 July 2022 in Sky Songs (Apii Thatini Ma Murtu – We carry a coolamon and sing to country together).
This exclusive performance Melbourne premiere will also feature special guests Iva Davies, Aunty Delmae Barton and Véronique Serret and will include William’s amazing compositions which encapsulate the natural sounds of Australia and present the unique and thrilling combination of didgeridoo and symphony orchestra.
Composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, William is widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading didgeridoo players and composers. With his prodigious musicality and the quiet conviction of his Kalkadunga heritage, he has vastly expanded the horizons of the didgeridoo – and the culture and landscape that it represents.
For two decades, William has forged a peerless profile as a performer and composer in the classical musical world, from the Philharmonic Orchestras of London and Berlin to historic events at Westminster Abbey for Commonwealth Day 2019 in front of Queen Elizabeth II, ANZAC Cove and the Beijing Olympics. His awards include Winner of Best Original Score for a Mainstage Producer at the 2018 Sydney Theatre Awards and ARIA Winner of Best Classical Album for Birdsong At Dusk in 2012.
Often in the company of his mother, Aunty Delmae Barton, he has performed on classical stages from the Vatican to the royal court of Spain. As a wildly passionate electric guitarist and jazz-fusion enthusiast, he has appeared alongside Iva Davies’ Icehouse at the Sydney Cricket Ground and in conservatorium recital with concert pianist Simon Tedeschi. He holds honorary doctorate degrees from the Universities of Griffith and Sydney, has released five albums on the ABC Classics label and is an Artist in Residence at Melbourne Recital Centre.
For over 40 years, the Aussie Pops Orchestra has presented a unique blend of popular classical and contemporary music to Australian audiences. They have performed alongside many of the world’s favourite singers including Luciano Pavarotti, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Peter Allen, Andrea Bocelli, Dame Joan Sutherland, Sir Cliff Richard, Ray Charles and many more.
During the pandemic, the Aussie Pops moved online, with virtual performances attracting hundreds of thousands of views in Australia and around the world; but the musicians are particularly enjoying to returning to the concert platform.
William Barton: Sky Songs
Hamer Hall – Arts Centre Melbourne, St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Performance: Friday 22 July 2022 – 7.30pm
Bookings: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au
For more information, visit: www.apoconcerts.com for details.
Image: Véronique Serret, Iva Davies, Aunty Delmae Barton and William Barton – photo by Keith Saunders