Christopher Sainsbury
Composer | Songwriter | Guitarist | Educator

Ngarra-burria: "To listen to sing" in the Sydney language (Dharug/Eora)

As a composer descending from the Indigenous people of Sydney and its surrounding region, and as a former Head of Department at the Eora Centre, I recognized the need for a mechanism to support developing and emerging Australian Indigenous composers and to connect them to the industry. This program is the result. We're not new, just previously less heard.

We began in 2015/2016. Current mentors include Jessica Wells, James Henry (a former participant composer), and myself. Our participating composers feature some of the finest Indigenous musicians from the East Coast, such as Troy Russell, Brenda Gifford, Elizabeth Sheppard, Rhyan Clapham (Dobby), Tim Gray, Nardi Simpson, Eric Avery, Will Kepa, Marlene Cummins, Mark Ross (Munk), Aaron Wyatt, and James Henry. Others have participated for shorter periods. In July, we will select five new participant composers for the program. The music spans diverse styles, rich with cultural expression and engaging narratives. Several of our composers are now receiving commissions from major ensembles and organizations, including Ensemble Offspring, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Sydney Living Museums, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, various residencies, and more (see list below).

Our principal cultural partner and advisor is Moogahlin Performing Arts, Sydney. The program is housed at the Australian National University School of Music in Canberra, with additional support from partners like Ensemble Offspring, Australian Music Centre, Eora Centre (venue support), ABC, and more recently, the Royal Australian Navy Band.

■ The Music Show with Andrew Ford.
■ ABC Classic (Stephen Adams producing) Nov 30, 2018.

■ Explore the thought-provoking insights of the 2019 paper/book Ngarra-burria: New Music and the Search for an Australian Sound from Currency House's Platform Paper series, which leads rigorous debate around issues in Australia's visual and performing arts. This publication focuses on Indigenous composers reclaiming space in the Australian classical and new music scenes, providing a platform for expressing current Indigenous narratives through music while asserting cultural agency. It navigates political landscapes with respect and inclusivity.

The Ngarra-burria composer mentoring program and its accompanying paper/book have significantly impacted Australia's classical and new music industry. Indigenous composers are now commissioned, programmed, performed, and broadcasted, marking a transformative shift. Leading music organizations are engaged in sustained partnerships with Indigenous composers, reflecting a broader cultural recalibration in music practice. This transformation extends beyond occasional collaborations, enriching Australia's music sectors.

• "It's more than a shift in style or sound, it's an Indigenous-led change to the Australian classical and new music sectors that enriches us all." — First Peoples Performing Arts Producer Fred Copperwaite

• "Sainsbury's recently launched Platform Paper for Currency House publishers is essential reading for Australian composers, performers, and programmers, not to mention critics." — Angus McPherson in Limelight, May 6, 2019

■ Explore the themes being explored by participants in the Ngarra-burria program, including new expressions of ancient cultures, current political narratives, nature and land relationships, Indigenous language reclamation, and music created purely for its own sake. Discover more through links to videos, radio programs, and educational resources on the Australian Music Centre Echo, where high school students across the country are learning about the contributions of these contemporary composers.

■ Canberra Times Article on Ngarra-burria First Peoples Composers program, April 2019.

■ The Conversation Article on Sainsbury’s paper published by Currency House, Ngarra-burria New Music and the Search for an Australian Sound, April 2019.

■ Explore Professor Malcolm Gillies' reflections on Sainsbury’s Bark of the ‘bidgee premiere in May 2019 in Resonate Magazine.