August 15, 2017
Murgon will be hosting musicians from India, Africa, Spain, Nepal and Bolivia next week when Culture Train’s 2017 regional music tour pays a visit.
The tour is part of Queensland Multicultural Month, which aims to promote inclusion and community harmony.
Murgon is one of only 14 Queensland towns the group will stop at.
On Monday, August 21, students at Murgon State high School will have an opportunity to participate in a free music workshop with Culture Train’s artists at 2:00pm.
The next morning, the group will treat seniors at the Castra retirement home to an intimate performance at 9:00am.
The Culture Train tour is being organised by the Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre (BEMAC).
BEMAC General Manager Leanne Tu’ipulotu said she was thrilled Culture Train would be touring the state.
“Culture Train features five world-renowned artists from culturally diverse backgrounds,” she said.
“The tour will take its collective of traditional and contemporary music and storytelling to remote Queensland audiences who often do not have the opportunity to experience cultural performances of this calibre,” she said.
In addition to visiting towns like Barcaldine, Longreach, Rockhampton, Murgon and Chinchilla the troupe will also be performing at a number of festivals during August including Toowoomba’s Languages and Cultures Festival, the Quandamooka Festival and Rockhampton’s Cultural Festival.
The artists who make up Culture Train are:
Dheeraj Shrestha (Nepal) is an internationally acclaimed tabla percussionist, who is recognised as the foremost Nepalese-born exponent in Australia. Irrepressible creativity, tremendous clarity and exciting rhythmic improvisation are his stylistic hallmarks and have established him as one of the finest exponents of tabla in the world.
Clara Domingo (Spain) is a recent arrival from Barcelona, whose vocal style explores traditional flamenco and Spanish popular music, reflecting an international sensibility that is firmly grounded in Spanish traditions. Clara has performed with Flamenco Fire and Jaleos Flamenco, including concert appearances at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane City Hall, the Woodford Folk Festival and Cygnet Folk Festival.
Ajak Kwai (Sudan) is a compelling storyteller and mesmerising live performer. With a powerful voice, gentle manner and mastery of Dinka, Arabic and English, Ajak Kwai weaves her extraordinary tales of being displaced from her South Sudanese home, to gospel singing in Cairo and starting afresh in Melbourne in 2007 to funky, soulful afro-beats.
Mario Conde (Bolivia) is a native Bolivian musician who leads a five-piece ensemble called Celestino which is renowned for captivating audiences through a fusion of traditional Bolivian instruments and Western music incorporating modern technology. Mario has performed and toured throughout Australia, the Pacific Islands, Europe, South Africa, South America and North America with his group.
Dya Singh (India) has been one of Australia’s pioneers in the development of new Australian World Music. He is the master musical interpreter of the traditional Sikh hymns, music with diverse influences from around the globe. He has performed around the world over the past 20 years.
Liam Morton (Australia) is a guitarist who performs jazz, blues, flamenco and pop. His style was honed under the direction of composer and performer Dr Anthony Garcia, but improvisation forms the basis of his performances, often taking place in cool jazz, bossa nova and samba pieces. Liam started performing live in Brisbane’s restaurant, café and bar scene in 2012.
