KULCHA GLOBAL RHYTHMS
Saturday 22 March, 7pm
Quarry Amphitheatre, City Beach
NOTES FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PAUL TANNER
In the past 20 years, Perth has become an incredibly vibrant centre for percussion. In 1987, I was the first West Australian to graduate with a bachelor's degree in percussion, but times have changed, and today the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and University of WA consistently have more than 20 percussion students at any one time.
This, however, is only one example of Perth's enthusiasm for all things whackable!
In recent years we have seen artists of truly international calibre arrive, and when I was asked to organise a percussion event for KULCHA, there were some specific talents that immediately sprang to mind:
Vicky Ramakrishnan (born and educated in Malaysia), studied tabla for a further four years in India before graduating with a Masters in Performing Arts. I first saw Vicky performing solo at a workshop organised by the Drumshop, and it was immediately apparent that tabla playing in Perth had reached a new level.
Freddy Poncin (born and educated in the Netherlands), has done the same for conga playing. I'm sure his technique will astound you as much as it did me, and the KULCHA Global Rhythms event will feature repertoire that displays his impressive skills.
In recent years, Paul Osei Kofi and Akwaaba have been blazing a rhythmic trail through Perth, and the inclusion of dancers to KULCHA Global Rhythms will add another level of excitement to our grand finale!
When I graduated from UWA in the late 1980s, studying percussion was a very classical experience. During my early professional years I played mainly avant-garde solo and ensemble music and eagerly welcomed the world of Afro-Cuban music and jazz.
At KULCHA's inaugural percussion celebration, KULCHA Global Rhythms, you will hear some of the finest and most fascinating graduates of recent years;
- Steve Richter - a member of the dynamic quartet Tetrafide, whose recent Latin percussion performances and compositions have garnered acclaim
- Robyn Sarti - an extraordinary mallet player and orchestral musician, regularly working with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra
- Daniel Susnjar - plays drums with some of the finest jazz groups in Perth and his performances are full of intensity, energy and fire
- Joshua Hogan - an Honours graduate who has worked on many fascinating projects in Italy, recently featured as soloist at the Brisbane Biennial Music Festival
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