Inside ‘evolved’ Australia Day Live concert featuring Casey Donovan, and Dami Im

Musical director John Foreman has revealed how he tackled the unenviable challenge of curating an Australia Day show that “makes people feel that they are all included”.

Foreman said the evolution of the annual Australia Day Live concert at the Sydney Opera House to highlight Indigenous culture. Picture: Ian Currie

Respected musical director John Foreman has had the unenviable challenge of curating a show on Australia Day that “makes people feel that they are all included and that they have something to feel happy about” since 2015.

The music man and creative powerhouse believes strongly music can unite the country on its national day like no “conference, speech or conversation” could.

“Australia Day means different things to different people; I think we’re all very keenly aware of that,” he said.

John Foreman has had the unenviable challenge of curating a show on Australia Day that “makes people feel that they are all included”. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“Australia Day Live has really evolved over the last eight, nine years to be a much more inclusive program that celebrates great Australian music in all of its forms, from the 60,000 years of tradition of the yidaki (didgeridoo) to Australian pop and rock songs.”

Foreman said the evolution of the annual Australia Day Live concert at the Sydney Opera House to highlight Indigenous culture as well as our pop and rock soundtrack has made a “powerful statement that we’re all in this together.”

He said opening the show in recent years with globally revered yidaki player and composer William Barton, who is also one of the creative team behind the big gig, had been integral to striking that feeling of unity and optimism.

“It was an important turning point to have his voice at the table as the creative decisions are made and the narrative of the show has evolved over the past few years and that it is possible to have William and his tradition sitting in among a performance which includes a rock band and a symphony orchestra,” Foreman said.

Patti Newton with musical director John Foreman. Picture: David Caird

“It would take many speeches and many conferences and many conversations to create the same feeling of people coming together and I think it sends a very powerful statement that says we’re all in this together, we all want a better future for everybody, we want to celebrate the best of our country and reflect upon how things could be better.”

Other performers at the 2024 Australia Day Concert include Casey Donovan, Dami Im, Kate Miller-Heidke and GANGgajang and airs on ABC from 7.30pm