Developing Multicultural Music in North Queensland. DiversCITY is a Music Centre North Queensland project, involving four North Qld-based multicultural musicians/bands: Young-Ah, classical pianist, born in Korea, trained in Hungary and Canada, Wassa (music from West Africa), Patrick Levi (Torres Strait), . We will be working with these artists over the coming year to:
- Develop professional promotional materials, including audio and video recordings, photographs and a media promotion kit, and make these available to potential presenters via the Music Centre website.
- Facilitate applications to local festivals and explore further performance opportunities in North Qld.
Performer Bios
Young-Ah Born and raised in Korea, Young-Ah studied at The Listz Zene Academy in Budapest, Hungary and later received a Bachelor of Church Music from the Canada Christian College majoring in composition. Since then, she has been a concert pianist, composer, and choir conductor. She now lives in Townsville.
Wassa is a six-piece percussion group performing traditional rhythms from West Africa on authentic instruments. The Townsville based group, with members Alex Salvador, Tony Tsimbas, Ian Brunskill, Matthew Curnock, David Pavlichuk, and Roger Thompson, has been performing throughout North Queensland and as far as Papua New Guinea since 2001. Intricate layers of rhythm are interwoven on Djembes, Dunduns (bass drums) and metal bells accompanied at times by chants in the Malinke language. Wassa delivers a powerful wall of sound to its listeners encouraging them to tap their feet, wriggle their shoulders and get up and dance!http://www.therhythmconnection.com. http://www.musiccentrenq.net/Wassa
Patrick Levi. A singer/songwriter from St Paul's on Moa Island, Torres Strait, Patrick has a unique blend of laid back reggae and folk styles, accompanying his mellow voice with inventive guitar playing. His album "It's all about love" released in 2008, has received airplay on 4jjj, and the ABC, and he appeared recently on SBS's program Living Black. Patrick performed in the 2009 Qld Music Festival opening concert on Thursday Island, Torres Strait and also taught in songwriting workshops during the lead up to this event. For this project Patrick will be performing together with drummer Joel Wilson, guitar Steve Sparrow and Michael Whiticker - bass.http://musiccentrenq.net/Patrick_Levi/
This project has received financial assistance from the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland