New intercultural music composition captures the fragility and wonder of unique Melbourne grasslands
Ahead of its premiere at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, Kate Tempany discusses her latest work, ‘Grasslands Suite’, which blends ecology with diverse musical traditions to give insights into — and celebrate — our connection with the natural world.
A chance encounter between a composer and an ecologist opened a new world of sound for Kate Tempany, a PhD candidate at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
Kate is a composer whose practice centres around fostering intercultural dialogue through music, with a particular focus on Hindustani and West African art music.
She says a tour of the Victorian Volcanic Plains Grasslands along Darebin Creek, convened by grasslands ecologist Dr Adrian Marshall, sparked inspiration for her new composition, which is the culminating work of her PhD studies.
“These grasslands are a unique, richly biodiverse ecosystem which once stretched from Melbourne to the Western District, and now survives only in critically endangered fragments,” says Kate.
“I had been wandering in the grasslands for 30 years, and I saw the guided walk by chance. I thought it would be a great opportunity to understand more about the plants and animals in this ecosystem.
“After the walk, it was like this whole incredible, detailed world of biodiversity opened up that I hadn’t known was there. It made me think, ‘this is like another Great Barrier Reef, but in miniature’ — it was so incredible.”
Over the course of her PhD studies, Kate managed to synthesise seemingly disparate elements from ecology and intercultural musical practice into an ambitious new work, Grasslands Suite.
An immersive evocation of the Victorian Volcanic Plains Grasslands, Grasslands Suite features the sounds of Hindustani sarod and tabla joined by French horn, solo cello, a classical string ensemble, and an extended duet for clarinet and piano. The piece also features narration from Dr Adrian Marshall, who organised the grasslands tour which first inspired the work.
Each of the ten movements of Grasslands Suite is intended to evoke an aspect of grasslands ecology, from the geological shifts which laid the basalt plains to minute details of the fauna and flora which have inhabited the grasslands for more than a million years.
Kate says she hopes audiences find joy and connection in the piece, which places instruments from different musical traditions in conversation with each other.
“I’m interested in using music to showcase and create dialogue between different musical traditions and languages, particularly in a globalised context. It models positive intercultural conversation on stage and creates fireworks of exchange, which in turn gives us insights into our shared humanity, and how we can access and celebrate this through music.”
Kate also hopes the work will raise awareness of the unique grasslands ecosystem — both its fragility and its resilience.
“This is an incredibly threatened ecosystem — only one thousandth of the original grasslands expanse that once stretched from Melbourne to Horsham now remains. Every week, more grassland is being destroyed, and one of the biggest threats is urban sprawl.
“We are so detached from nature in the built environment we live in. I think it's really important to remember that the grasslands area is a fascinating and precious ecosystem, and it’s right there on our doorsteps.”
When: 21 May, 7pm-8:30pm
Where: Hanson Dyer Hall, Ian Potter Southbank Centre, Southbank Boulevard