Creative Development Timeline
Initial on-country field research; music and creative development
July - October 2026
Further music & creative development; filming on-country
January - September 2027
Supporters
Ŋgilipitji is supported by the Australian Government through it’s arts funding and advisory body, Creative Australia. Specifically, the project has received funding through the Creative Futures Fund, an initiative of the National Cultural Policy – Revive: a place for every story.
Ŋgilipitji
A collaboration between the Australian Chamber Orchestra and independent ensemble, Hand to Earth.
Freya is Creative Producer of the project.
Ŋgilipitji is a collaboration between the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Hand to Earth, envisioned as both a standalone performance and multi-screen, spatialised audio installation. The work seeks to transport audiences to the ancestral homeland of the Wägilak people of South-East Arnhem Land, reimagining one of the world’s oldest song traditions and fostering a dialogue between public Wägilak Manikay (traditional song cycles) and contemporary orchestral and electroacoustic music.
Hand to Earth is an independent quintet in which Yolŋu song keepers Daniel and David Wilfred recontextualise their 40,000 year old song tradition in a resolutely contemporary setting with three of Australia's most distinctive musicians, Sunny Kim (voice) Peter Knight (trumpet/electronics) and Aviva Endean (clarinets/electronics). They have released three albums, which have won international praise, and performed in some of the most prestigious venues in the world.
The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) lives and breathes music, making waves around the world for its explosive performances that redefine orchestral music. With its fearless leader of 35 years, Artistic Director Richard Tognetti, the ACO is acclaimed internationally as an ensemble of invention and unforgettable music-making. Performing more than 100 concerts each year, the ACO regularly collaborates with artists and musicians who share its adventurous spirit. The ACO has a series of award-winning cinematic concert films, as well as an active recording program.
Hand to Earth is an independent quintet in which Yolŋu song keepers Daniel and David Wilfred recontextualise their 40,000 year old song tradition in a resolutely contemporary setting with three of Australia's most distinctive musicians, Sunny Kim (voice) Peter Knight (trumpet/electronics) and Aviva Endean (clarinets/electronics). They have released three albums, which have won international praise, and performed in some of the most prestigious venues in the world.
The Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) lives and breathes music, making waves around the world for its explosive performances that redefine orchestral music. With its fearless leader of 35 years, Artistic Director Richard Tognetti, the ACO is acclaimed internationally as an ensemble of invention and unforgettable music-making. Performing more than 100 concerts each year, the ACO regularly collaborates with artists and musicians who share its adventurous spirit. The ACO has a series of award-winning cinematic concert films, as well as an active recording program.
Creative Development Timeline
Initial on-country field research; music and creative development
July - October 2026
Further music & creative development; filming on-country
January - September 2027
Supporters
The development of Ŋgilipitji has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. Specifically, the project has received funding through the Creative Futures Fund, an initiative of the National Cultural Policy – Revive: a place for every story.
