Ensemble Offspring

Stories of Water and Earth

Sydney musical mavericks Ensemble Offspring join forces with spellbinding Yuwaalaraay woman and storyteller Nardi Simpson to weave together dreaming stories, song, instrumental chamber music, and interactive cultural learning in Stories of Water and Earth.

Composer and featured performer Nardi Simpson showcases her deadly skills as a storyteller and singer, inviting audiences to hear the language of the land, explore the beauty of singing to Country, and experience music inspired by place. Together with Ensemble Offspring’s musicians, Nardi shares Yuwaalaraay women’s creative and cultural practices, encouraging audiences to listen deeply, learn, and even participate. This immersive, hour-long journey brings together Freshwater Woman with a selection of powerful works from past Ensemble Offspring First Nations Composers in Residence, each speaking to Country, culture, and connection.

At the heart of Ensemble Offspring is an unwavering commitment to the creation of living new music. Renowned as Australia’s most fearless and virtuosic instrumentalists, the ensemble stands at the forefront of musical innovation. A culmination of nearly ten years of First Nations musical collaboration, Stories of Water and Earth is both a story and a musical journey of language, culture, and song — one that speaks to the soul, the heart, and the mind. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear the language of the land.

“Freshwater Woman fashions the stories and sounds of Yuwaalaraay language and country into a river and invites you to float, dive or tinker at its edges. As traditional stories and contemporary compositions are shaped into flowing narratives, Ensemble Offspring infuses these resonant, cultural gifts with deftness, sensitivity and skill. Freshwater Woman is a celebration of place, story and connection. Let its rivers fill you.” – Nardi Simpson

“…every Australian should see this brilliant performance piece.” – Rebecca Varidel, Sydney Scoop

★★★★½ “From each and every performer, joy radiated from their eyes, their smiles, their hearts” – Rebecca Varidel, Sydney Scoop

“Simpson is as gripping a storyteller as she is a vocalist. Her prowess as a writer bubbles up through the fluidity of her language, and she shines as a performer here too. She’s so engaging here, sharing these stories, which unfold even further with the music that follows them.” - Limelight

Program
Brenda Gifford – Mungala (Clouds) (2018) 
Eric Avery – Gliding (2020) 
Brenda Gifford – Bardju (Footprints) (2017)
Nardi Simpson – Freshwater Woman (2022)

Performers
Nardi Simpson (composer, vocalist)
Claire Edwardes (Artistic Director, percussion)
Jason Noble (clarinets)
Lamorna Nightingale (flutes)
Rowena Macneish (cello)

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Ensemble Offspring Website

Street Three | Unreserved | Duration 60 Minutes
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