Tekee Tokee Tomak Concert

Indonesia Human Rights Committee
Box 68-419,
Auckland

22 September, 2007

MEDIA RELEASE

Tekee Tokee Tomak Concert

Unique presentation from acclaimed Australian musicians :Martin Wesley-Smith and Ros Dunlop

Announcing a Multimedia Concert at The Crypt St Benedicts Church 1 St Benedicts St Newton on Saturday 6 October at 7-30 pm. The concert features stunningly powerful multimedia works about East Timor, West Papua and Iraq.

The presenters are two well known Australian contemporary musicians, clarinettist Ros Dunlop and composer Martin Wesley-Smith. Entry is by koha and all funds raised will go to support the advocacy work of the Indonesia Human Rights Committee.

In February 2007, Martin and Ros attended the Asia Pacific Festival in Wellington, where an advertised performance of Martin's piece Papua Merdeka was dropped from the program after pressure had been applied by the Indonesian Embassy.

They have now put together a tour that will allow New Zealanders to see and hear what has previously been denied to them.

Ros , a cutting edge Multimedia Clarinettist, has been performing contemporary music around Australia and overseas for the past 22 years. She has recently returned to Sydney from the International Clarinet Festival in Vancouver, Canada where she performed Karlheinz Stockhausen's "Kleine Harlekin" for clarinettist/dancer. In addition to a hectic performance schedule Ros also teaches clarinet at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia's premiere Music Institution.

Martin Wesley-Smith is one of Australia's best-known composers and multimedia artists and winner of many awards for his compositions. Most notable his (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for services to music, as a composer, scriptwriter, children's songwriter, lecturer, presenter of multi-media concerts. He is best known for his multimedia compositions, which have been performed all over the world. His composition "For Clarinet & Tape" is a work which has enjoyed more international performances than any other Australian work by a living Australian Composer.

Martin was the featured composer at the "Totally Huge New Music Festival", one of Australia's major New Music Festivals in May this year. A concert of multimedia works of Martin's was performed by Ros Dunlop and the Song Company and received included Martin's works "Papua Merdeka' and 'Weapons of Mass Distortion'. .."congratulations to Martin Wesley-Smith for a thoroughly inspiring, musically witty, entertaining and challenging evening. Ros Dunlop was so impressive, both in her playing and her social/ performing - a true top-level community artist - what a star....(Helen Tuckey WASO)

Together Martin and Ros formed Tekee Tokee Tomak and have travelled and performed extensively on the international concert circuit, including the UK, USA, Europe, Hong Kong and Japan. They will be conducting workshops in performance and composing at the University of Auckland's Department of Music prior to the concert.

For further information: Maire Leadbeater: 09-815-9000 or 0274-436-957

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

. "The performance yesterday was absolutely stunning - powerful and substantial, and beautifully crafted - if I had my way, I would require all of our students to see it since so much echoed essential principles of our University. Thank you for reminding us that the performing arts are among the most effective tools we have for the promotion of justice in the world." University of Santa Clara U.S.A Robert Bozini: Dean of Music 2003:

"Thank you, more than I can say, for coming to Newcastle and for the concert you gave. It was thought-provoking, moving, knowledge-building, heart-rending and beautiful; in other words it was a truly artistic and memorable evening ... The music was fascinating in itself, and your playing was tremendous, but the way you worked the music and images together was really marvellous. The images were so good, too, with such very high quality, beautifully composed photography." from Bishop Benjamin Hopkinson, Newcastle, UK, Wed Oct 12 2005:

ENDS

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