“… this is really powerful, sometimes beautiful and even frightening. And sometimes all of those.” John Clare – Loud Mouth, July 2016
Adam Simmons and Nick Tsiavos have been working together in various situations the past ten years, mainly in Nick’s ‘Liminal’ quintet and its larger manifestations, yet were eager to explore what was possible in a distilled form of the work they have collaborated on – just soprano sax and bass. An opportunity arose in late 2014 when the Art Gallery of Ballarat invited them to perform at ‘EIKON’ , their exhibition of Byzantine Iconography. They explored a collection of Sixteen Alleluias in their proper and plagal forms, which they are now touring.
Alleluia – an ancient word, it has moved beyond its original liturgical usage to one that has a web of meanings woven through it. It encompasses the light of joy and elation. It never fails as a succinct and useful form of punctuation. And as we fall into the depths, seeking hope against the dark in a final resigned acceptance of all that will come to pass, the word hovers close in our consciousness.
“The instruments have been exquisitely recorded and the music has a cumulative effect that could well see you inclined to levitate towards the end.”
John Shand – Sydney Morning Herald, Dec 2015
Sun 27 Nov – MANSFIELD – Mansfield Art Gallery, 5pm
Tue 29 Nov – CANBERRA – National Portrait Gallery, 6pm
Wed 30 Nov – SYDNEY – Art Gallery of New South Wales, 7:30pm
Thu 1 Dec – NEWCASTLE – NIMA Underground at The Grand Hotel (presented by NIMA) – 8pm (with 6pm workshop)
Sat 3 Dec – ORANGE – Orange Regional Gallery, 6:30pm
Sun 4 Dec – WENTWORTH FALLS – Kindlehill Performance Space (presented by Music Hunter Projects), 4pm
Wed 14 Dec – MELBOURNE – St Paul’s Cathedral, 1pm
