| WALKABOUT THE MUSIC
- commentary by Steve Francis (composer) "The process of creating music for Bangarra is like writing for film but without having the pictures or the dialogue to work with. I guess it would be similar to writing a score with only the synopsis to go on. Having said that, Stephen and Fran have constantly inspired me with powerful stories and strong visuals that allow me to create, with the music, the emotion that they need each piece to evoke. You are not always certain that what you are creating is what the choreographer was expecting but when you get it right the results are the most rewarding there are.
"Bunks" from Rush.
Photo: Danielle Lyonne
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Walkabout is breaking new ground for me for a couple of reasons. This is the first time I have worked on a Bangarra project without the collaboration of David Page. David, the long time composer for Bangarra has moved his priorities to his performance career, at least for the time being but I know that his energy and spirit live on in the music that I have created for Walkabout. Secondly this is the first time I have worked with Frances Rings as a choreographer and this has been a wonderful experience as we both find our feet, so to speak. And of course working with Stephen... What can I say that hasn't been said...? So I won't start.
Because there are two choreographers, there are two very different identities creating the works.
Fran's piece Rations is more narrative than Stephen's piece Rush - Rush is more abstract. The challenge with Walkabout was to create something different for each whilst not making them to alien to each other.
Bangarra has built up a great history of working with Indigenous music and musicians and the use of those elements in the soundtrack always gives what would normally be very contemporary music piece an instant grounding and connection to the land. After a confronting urban musical assault a lone songman or a quiet whisper can easily cleanse and give new hope. The most important thing for me is to make sure the integrity is maintained, and to make sure that the owners of the music you're working with are always aware of what you are doing so that it will always treated with respect. You have to build up a relationship where they feel comfortable with how their music and words are used in this contemporary forum. In Rations I have been very lucky to have a number of traditional and non-traditional Indigenous ingredients to add to my musical broth. The opening section of Rations features an amazing traditional women's choir (The Adnyamathanha Women's Choir). Earlier in the year Fran went on a research trip to the Flinders Ranges area of South Australia and hooked up with the women. They sing songs in 'language' but they're like hymns with western melodies - there's this great cultural crossover.
"Blankets" from Rations. Photo: Danielle Lyonne
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In another of Fran's pieces called Blankets she's looking at how the introduction of western commodities, like blankets, altered the people's lives. Not only through the poisons they contained like smallpox but also the symbolic 'smothering' of their culture. Fran really liked a piece of music from an Indigenous band called NoKTuRNL who are based in Alice Springs and that became the catalyst for the Blankets. I wrote the piece and incorporated their music into it. Luckily the band later came to Sydney to record demos for their new album so we invited the band to come into the studio to re-record the section I had used. The result is fantastic and I hope it is the seed for a future working relationship.
We're also really lucky having Ningali Lawford involved Walkabout. She has done some language and some humming for Mourning in Rations and her mother has sung traditional songs for the soundtrack.
Rush is very different to Rations so I've tried to make it quite brash and stark, and to use different sorts of instruments and grooves. I've used string quartets combined with dark percussive sounds and distorted guitars to try and create the unease these urban tales portray. One of my favourite moments in Rush is a scene called Veins. The music features Elma Kris vocally acting out the part she and Peggy Misi play in the dance and I hope it is really confronting. After writing the music I asked Elma to come into the studio and without playing her the music I explained the feel and emotion I wanted and she just went with it - she was incredible. When she finished, I quickly put it over the music track, just to hear what it sounded like and it was perfect. It was hair on the back of your neck kind of stuff." WALKABOUT CD A CD featuring all the music from Walkabout can be purchased through Bangarra Dance Theatre. CDs of the music from Ochres, Fish, Corroboree, Skin and Bush can also be purchased. Please contact:
Bangarra Dance Theatre
bangarra@bangarra.com.au
ph: 612 9 251 5333
fax: 612 9 251 5266 back to top 
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