Indigenous songwriter Nancy Bates unites with Adelaide Symphony
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra launches its first reconciliation action plan in an online Virtual Concert Hall performance with indigenous singer-songwriter Nancy Bates this weekend.
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The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra will launch its first reconciliation action plan in an online collaboration with Aboriginal singer-songwriter Nancy Bates.
A Barkindji woman from NSW, Bates was invited to work with composer Julian Ferraretto for the ASO’s Virtual Concert Hall series this Saturday, as part of National Reconciliation Week.
“They see a real benefit for their musicians in having a relationship with First Nation people and through their music,” she said.
Bates wrote her song Ruby as a gift to iconic indigenous performer Archie Roach – who she toured with for four years – in memory of his late South Australian wife, Ngarrindjeri singer-songwriter Ruby Hunter.
“It’s also about the invisibility of women in the music industry and Ruby stood for women’s music, and black women in this country,” Bates said.
Ferraretto worked with Bates to arrange the song for a trio of ASO woodwind musicians, flautist Geoff Collins, clarinetist Dean Newcomb and contra bassoonist Jackie Newcomb.
“The sound of the instruments was the perfect marriage for the song. In fact, I will now go and formally record the song with them,” Bates said. “We learned a lot from each other.”
Ferraretto said the project brought together the “combined gravity” of symphony orchestra musicians and a 60,000-year-old songwriting tradition.
“The trio’s sound kind of holds the work up and surrounds it, almost creating some scenery around the story,” he said.
Bates said she was creating new songlines through her work writing with community groups and at Adelaide Women’s Prison.
“Songlines are navigational tracks travelled by the creation spirits who created the land, lore and animals,” she said.
“Personally, I am so sad that I was denied my right to learn my songlines because of the destructiveness of colonisation.”
ASO managing director Vincent Ciccarello said the action plan would support its belief in the power of music to build relationships, share culture and create learning opportunities.
“We hope to build a road map that supports these beliefs and cultivates ongoing, respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our community,” he said.
“Reconciliation will be reflected in how we showcase Australian works, enhanced access to classical music in regional South Australia and increased development opportunities for young musicians.”
Virtual Concert Hall, Saturday from 10am