11–16 July at 5:30pm and 7:00pm
17 July at 6:30pm and 7:45pm
18-20 July at 6:30pm and 8:00pm
The Australian Art Orchestra (AAO) is Australia's leading creative music ensemble, developing new works across culture and art forms.
Wuigada - Gagada (To Sing - Loud) features the music of iconic Australian and First Nations singer-songwriter, Kutcha Edwards. Celebrate songs of Country, history, pain and joy with the Australian Art Orchestra’s jazz and improvisation. Expect cross-cultural collaboration, soul-stirring improvisation, and a celebration of community, identity, and truth. More than a performance — this a journey through the heart of Australia.
Led by acclaimed pianist/composer Aaron Choulai, AAO celebrates contemporary Australia, and champions our diverse artistic culture, communities and traditions.
These special performances features Kutcha Edwards, a proud Mutti Mutti Songman whose powerful voice and storytelling have moved audiences across the globe. From the Riverina to international stages, Kutcha’s music blends ‘Bidgee’ blues with ancestral songs, weaving together personal history, cultural resilience, and a message of hope and reconciliation.
With cross-cultural collaborations and interdisciplinary projects, the Australian Art Orchestra explores new creative territories - fusing art forms, and musical traditions to define a musical language that reflects the vibrant diversity of Australia, while connecting to the Asia-Pacific.
Kutcha Edwards has been prolifically combining songwriting and activism since 1991, when he joined Koori group Watbalimba and began the remarkable journey that has taken him from the tiny Riverina town of Balranald to tours of Australia and the world. His experiences as a survivor of the Stolen Generations and his proud Mutti Mutti heritage has shaped his diverse creative output in groups like Blackfire and The Black Arm Band. At the same time, he has also
been able to forge a successful solo career combining his ‘Bidgee’ blues with traditional songs of people and country. Kutcha is a Songman, not simply a songwriter. He draws on a profound sense of all those who have gone before him on this land, along with his own life experiences, to help his audiences understand themselves, reconnect with their culture and promote cultural understanding. His music touches the soul and through his humour and insights we realise that with recognition of the true Aboriginal history, there can be hope of reconciliation.
