An Australian choir composed of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women will make its international debut at London’s Barbican Hall on 6 October 2024.
Marliya is a 16-strong ensemble of young women and girls based in Cairns, in Northern Queensland, the members of which originally came together to perform Spinifex Gum, composed by The Cat Empire’s Felix Riebl and and Ollie McGill.
Spinifex Gum has since been performed at some of Australia’s most prestigious festivals and concert halls, including Adelaide Festival and the Sydney Opera House.
In 2022, Spinifex Gum took on a new dimension with the creation of a symphonic version of the work, featuring orchestrations by Ross Irwin.
The symphonic version was premiered by Marliya with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and has subsequently been performed with the Adelaide and Sydney Symphony Orchestras.
Marliya’s performance of the orchestrated Spinifex Gum at the opening of the 2023 Adelaide Festival was described as ‘phenomenal’ with ‘infectious close harmonies and honed choreography’ by InDaily.
An offshoot of the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, Marliya will be joined in London by three dozen young choristers from Australia’s national children’s choir, Gondwana Voices, as well as the local Farnham Youth Choir and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra Youth Chorus.
Marliya performs Spinifex Gum in Language as well as English, with the concert exploring some of the most challenging political and environmental issues facing contemporary Australia: social disparity, land rights, the disproportionate incarceration of First Peoples and Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Part choral event and part international cultural exchange, Marliya’s performance at the Barbican will be conducted by Gondwana Choirs’ Artistic Director Lyn Williams AM, and choreographed by Deborah Brown.
Describing her reaction to Marliya’s upcoming London performance, one of the choristers said, ‘I never thought I would be going to the other side of the world to sing.’
Another chorister added, ‘I hope the London audience walk away with a full heart’.
Visit the Barbican for concert details.
