Experience the visionary work of German composer Sandeep Bhagwati, who brings diverse musical influences together in elegant harmony. And be captivated by Nguyễn Thanh Thủy, a renowned đàn tranh player reimagining Vietnamese traditional music through a modern lens.  

Anchoring the concert is a performance from Australia-based contemporary music ensemble Hand to Earth—a groundbreaking collaboration between Daniel Yipininy Wilfred, a Yolŋu songman preserving ancient storytelling traditions from northeast Arnhem Land; Sunny Kim, a Korean vocalist drawing influences from experimental jazz; and Peter Knight, an innovative trumpeter, composer, and producer blending acoustic and electronic textures.  

These artists invite you to explore music that transcends borders and time.

“In our performances, you’re going to experience friendship. And you’ll hear us share ancient ideas and stories, but told in a way that’s quite contemporary,” says Kim.

“When art-making crosses cultures… what you end up with is the essence of human connection,” adds Knight. 

TL;DR 

Too Long; Didn’t Read

Influenced by Brian Eno, John Hassell, The Necks, and swathes of electronic music, TL;DR creates hypnotic, minimal, groove based music that is fresh and distinctive, and that spins these influences into a sound that defies categorisation.

TL;DR is a new quartet brought together by trumpeter/composer Peter Knight who was until recently the artistic director of the Australian Art Orchestra (2013-23). Peter has developed an international reputation as a innovator who is extending the possibilities of his instrument with approaches that interweave acoustic preparations, extended techniques with electroacoustic processing via laptop, vintage delays, tape machines, and pedals.

Crossing generations, TL;DR sees Peter Knight’s team up with some of the most influential younger musicians on the Melbourne scene. Bassist/vocalist, Helen Svoboda, who has built a large audience for her distinctive approach to double bass and voice, floats her melodic wordless soprano over deep grooves. Guitarist, Theo Carbo, who is highly regarded for his spare but driving approach to his instrument uses rhythmic repetition and textural variation to stunning effect, while brilliant 20 year old drummer Quinn Knight (who also happens to be Peter’s son), lays down shimmering cymbal washes and texturally rich beats that underpin the group’s sound.

In 2025 TL;DR's debut album will be released on the Australian label, Earshift Music, accompanied by a national tour.

Hand to Earth performs for the first time at Phoenix Central Park Sydney

Vocalists Daniel Wilfred and Sunny Kim form the heart of Hand to Earth, which has quickly developed an international reputation as one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary music ensembles. The quintet has released two albums, which have won international praise including a 2022 ARIA AWARD nomination, and performed in some of the most prestigious venues and festivals in the world including at the iconic Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, Lincoln Centre New York, Jeonju International Sori Festival (Korea), Luxembourg Philharmonie, and Vancouver Jazz Festival.

Daniel sings in language, and is the keeper of Yolngu Manikay (songs) from North East Arnhem Land that can be traced back for over 40,000 years. His is the oldest continuously practised music tradition in the world. Sunny sings in English and Korean intoning gestures that invoke raw elemental forces. Together they sing of the stars, of fire, and of the cooling rain against the drone of David Wilfred’s didgeridoo and atmospheres created by trumpeter and sound artist, Peter Knight, and clarinetist Aviva Endean who draw on the minimalism of Brian Eno and Jon Hassell to create a bed for these beautifully contrasting voices.

Hand to Earth’s third album will be released on ROOM40 in 2025.

“While many contemporary projects strive to combine ancient and modern influences, this innovative and ethereal musical alliance actually achieves that lofty goal – with old cultural ground being respected, while new artistic ground is broken. Hand to Earth is a truly exquisite album.“

• * * * * Songlines UK

Hand to Earth performs for the first time at Dark MOFO as part of the Borderlines program

Vocalists Daniel Wilfred and Sunny Kim form the heart of Hand to Earth, which has quickly developed an international reputation as one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary music ensembles. The quintet has released two albums, which have won international praise including a 2022 ARIA AWARD nomination, and performed in some of the most prestigious venues and festivals in the world including at the iconic Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, Lincoln Centre New York, Jeonju International Sori Festival (Korea), Luxembourg Philharmonie, and Vancouver Jazz Festival.

Daniel sings in language, and is the keeper of Yolngu Manikay (songs) from North East Arnhem Land that can be traced back for over 40,000 years. His is the oldest continuously practised music tradition in the world. Sunny sings in English and Korean intoning gestures that invoke raw elemental forces. Together they sing of the stars, of fire, and of the cooling rain against the drone of David Wilfred’s didgeridoo and atmospheres created by trumpeter and sound artist, Peter Knight, and clarinetist Aviva Endean who draw on the minimalism of Brian Eno and Jon Hassell to create a bed for these beautifully contrasting voices.

Hand to Earth’s third album will be released on ROOM40 in 2025.

“While many contemporary projects strive to combine ancient and modern influences, this innovative and ethereal musical alliance actually achieves that lofty goal – with old cultural ground being respected, while new artistic ground is broken. Hand to Earth is a truly exquisite album.“

* * * * Songlines UK

Hand to Earth performs for the first time at Arts House for Liquid Architecture

(Inter.Sonix)

In this one-night only performance, Hand to Earth (AUS) and Sipaningkah (ID) create transformative sonic landscapes that bridge the ancient and the contemporary, merging the spiritual with radical edges of sound and listening

With their fusion of Yolngu Manikay and minimalist ambient music Hand to Earth invites audiences into a timeless dialogue, where ancestral songlines meet the possibilities of sonic abstraction. The Wilfred Brothers deepen this intersection, weaving cultural heritage with raw improvisation, advancing the practice of intercultural collaborative performance.

Hailing from West Sumatra, Sipaningkah offers a distinct voice, blending indigenous Minangkabau rhythms with experimental rhythm and tone. Sipaningkah’s performance explores the convergence of traditional and modern forms, building an evocative sonic environment that speaks to both the past and the future.

Together, these two acts create a dialogue of cultural exchange, celebrating the universal language of music that transcends time, geography, and tradition.

This program is the first instance of the Liquid Architecture Inter-Sonix program which will focus on artists from the Southeast Asian and South Asian diasporas, facilitating artistic and intellectual exchange with sound practitioners across Asia and the broader region. This program builds on research undertaken through the Southeast Asia Co-Design Group, a collaborative initiative involving colleagues from Vietnam, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. By leveraging these established networks, Inter-Sonix seeks to deepen transnational dialogue, strengthen creative relationships, and expand the discourse surrounding diasporic and regional sound practices.

HAND TO EARTH
Vocalists Daniel Wilfred and Sunny Kim form the heart of Hand to Earth, which has quickly developed an international reputation as one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary music ensembles. The quintet has released two albums, which have won international praise including a 2022 ARIA AWARD nomination, and performed in some of the most prestigious venues and festivals in the world including at the iconic Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, Lincoln Centre New York, Jeonju International Sori Festival (Korea), Luxembourg Philharmonie, and Vancouver Jazz Festival.

Daniel sings in language, and is the keeper of Yolngu Manikay (songs) from North East Arnhem Land that can be traced back for over 40,000 years. His is the oldest continuously practised music tradition in the world. Sunny sings in English and Korean intoning gestures that invoke raw elemental forces. Together they sing of the stars, of fire, and of the cooling rain against the drone of David Wilfred’s didgeridoo and atmospheres created by trumpeter and sound artist, Peter Knight, and clarinetist Aviva Endean who draw on the minimalism of Brian Eno and Jon Hassell to create a bed for these beautifully contrasting voices.

Hand to Earth’s third album will be released on ROOM40 in 2025.

“While many contemporary projects strive to combine ancient and modern influences, this innovative and ethereal musical alliance actually achieves that lofty goal – with old cultural ground being respected, while new artistic ground is broken. Hand to Earth is a truly exquisite album.“

* * * * Songlines UK