Ringing the Changes, Sunday 27 Mar 2011, Port Arthur, Tasmania
‘Ringing the Changes’ was commissioned by Strange Fruit director Sue Broadway for the Melbourne Festival 2009. It involved swaying performers strapped to 4-meter poles playing a range of beautiful bells mounted atop poles, the superb Federation Bells at Birrarung Marr.
“Ringing the Changes” was remounted and toured to Tasmania, Perth, and Adelaide. For the touring bells, we used a set of Federation Handbells, which sounded one octave higher than those at Birrarung Marr, supplemented by Anne Norman’s Power Pole Bells—literally the metal tops of disused power poles. Leah Scholes played a table-mounted set of Federation Handbells.
Presented by: Ten Days on the Island Festival
Composer & Conductor: Graeme Leak
Percussionists: Timothy Phillips and Leah Scholes
Aerial Pole-Performers: Natalie Abbott, Emily Ryan, Daniel Newell, Scott McBurnie, Paul Bourke
Creative Director: Phillip Gleeson
Production: Michael Carr and Rich Morrod
Costumes: Laurel Frank
Power Pole Bells (PPBells): Anne Norman
2009 Premier Performance: Melbourne International Arts Festival, directed by Sue Broadway
Commissioned by: Strange Fruit with Melbourne International Arts Festival and Ten Days on the Island
Supported by: Australia Council, Arts Victoria, City of Melbourne
Special Thanks: Museum Victoria for the loan of the Federation Handbells
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