Orchestra and beatboxer Tom Thum in hometown harmony

Thum Prints is the name of an innovative concert returning to the Brisbane Powerhouse after making an impression in Germany, India, Malaysia and the US.

Queensland Symphony Orchestra conductor Gordon Hamilton, beatboxer Tom Thum and bassoon player Claire Ramuscak at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Picture: Glenn Hunt

Generally speaking, beatboxers and orchestral conductors tend to live parallel lives: the former use their vocal talents to provide a percussive backing track to hip-hop music, the latter spend most of their time in the more genteel surrounds of concert halls.

By collaborating on a work named Thum Prints, musician Tom Thum and composer Gordon Hamilton managed to bridge two worlds that almost never intersect. First performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra at the Brisbane Powerhouse in 2015, the work has since thrilled audiences in Germany, India, Malaysia and the US.

“We’re constantly evolving it,” said Thum. “The version that we’re doing now has got a lot more theatrical elements and re-imaginings of old pieces. I don’t think we’ve ever done the same show twice in our entire five years [together]; we’re always trying to write new things and take advantage of the opportunity to test new bits of work out.”

At the weekend, the pair will reunite with the QSO for three performances of Thum Prints at the same venue where it all began.

The Friday and Saturday concerts signal the Brisbane Powerhouse’s return to hosting COVID-safe live music, and it will join the likes of cross-city venues The Triffid and The Zoo, both of which began hosting seated shows for about 100 patrons last month.

Because of space restrictions on stage, Hamilton will have a reduced ensemble of about 20 players to work with, rather than the full complement of 60 musicians.

“In a way, it’s actually bigger and louder than with a full orchestra,” said the conductor and composer. “Our experience has been that the smaller formation is bigger, louder and more punchy than a full orchestra.”

Although there will be fewer musicians in the mix this time, the fact they’ll be amplified will allow more control over the audio mix.

“I like to get loud and percussive and boisterous, so it’s good to be able to bring up the level of the orchestra — or bring me down — so that it’s a very complementary sound,” said Thum, 35.

The Brisbane local born Tom Horn garnered global attention in 2013 when a performance at TEDxSydney showcased his extraordinary ability to mimic, loop and layer various musical instruments with his voice to create an intoxicating brew. That video has attracted more than 100 million views on YouTube, and he has since collaborated with artists such as Adelaide hip-hop trio Hilltop Hoods.

Bassoon player Claire Ramuscak has not performed Thum Prints before but has heard plenty of rave reviews from her QSO colleagues who have. “It’s definitely not the regular sort of music we play most weeks, but I really enjoy doing these collaboration projects,” she said. “Seeing someone with a completely different talent to what we do is something that I really enjoy being a part of.”

Beyond the return to the Powerhouse, Thum and Hamilton are planning an album release of Thum Prints based on a studio recording that features the full complement of QSO musicians.