One of Australia's leading contemporary ensembles, the Australian Art Orchestra, is set to tour the Northern Territory this month, playing shows in Ngukurr, Darwin and Beswick.
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The tour involves five shows in total across the Territory with dates also booked for Numbulwar and Jabiru.
The Melbourne-based ensemble will be playing songs off their most recent album Hand to Earth which was released late last year.
The group will open their Hand to Earth tour in the small community of Ngukurr, home to the ensemble's Yolngu songman Daniel Warathuman Wilfred and yidaki performer David Yipininy Wilfred.
"Working with the Orchestra, I can share my culture with other musicians, tell them my stories, sing my songs," Daniel Wilfred said.
"They learn from me, and I learn from them."
Mr Wilfred's hypnotising form of traditional song writing has been complemented with vocals from Korean artist Sunny Kim to produce a mesmerising soundscape that transcends geographic and cultural boundaries.
Sunny Kim, and Daniel and David Wilfred will be joined by clarinettist and sound artist Aviva Endean, and multidisciplinary musician and artistic director Peter Knight, who together will take audiences on an exciting sonic journey.
Ms Kim said the shows will offer a modern twist on ancient storytelling.
"In our performances, you'll hear us share ancient ideas and stories told in a way that's quite contemporary - you're going to experience friendship," she said.
Artistic Director Peter Knight said the tour would be an expression of the here and now in music.
"It represents contemporary Australia at its best; sophisticated, inclusive diverse and forward looking," he said.
The tour will be presented by Northern Territory touring organisation Artback NT who have worked with remote First Nations communities and supported local artists for more than 20 years.
"We are really proud the Hand to Earth tour will open in Ngukurr, home to Daniel Warathuma and David Yipininy, and tour remote NT," Artback NT CEO Shay Vigona said.
"This not only respects elders and the cultural origins of the performance, but it will also inspire the next generation of artists and encourage further collaborations," she said.
The Australian Art Orchestra have released 12 albums to date and have received four ARIA Award nominations for Best Jazz Album.
The tour will kick off in Ngukurr on August 16, before heading to Numbulwar on August 18, the Darwin Festival on August 21, Marrawuddi Arts & Culture in Jabiru on August 24, and Djilpin Arts in Beswick on August 28.
Tickets are available online through the Artback NT website.
