C19 So Much Myself
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Sunday, 7 May 2023
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Fairfax Theatre
National Gallery of Australia
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In Association with
Following the international success of Stalin’s Piano, virtuoso pianist Sonya Lifschitz and composer Robert Davidson have created a new audio-visual work that tells the stories of women who have shaped our culture, our societies, our world.
A five-part musical portrait gallery of creators spanning a millennium, So much myself weaves together virtuoso piano, archival audio and footage, narrative and music in a complex interconnecting tapestry of stories celebrating discovery.
These remnants of extraordinary lives are placed, as precious objects, into frames – musical frames provided by Sonya’s piano, which foster hearing the inherent melody and rhythm in the voices.
Sonya blends her own voice with these recordings, bringing to life stories from a thousand years ago, through to her own Ukrainian grandmother and great aunt recounting their escape from Kyiv during the Nazi bombings and massacres. These are stories of people bringing their fullest selves to the challenges of convention, danger, inertia and prejudice.
Artist
Sonya Lifschitz, piano
Robert Davidson, video and composition
Concept and script by Sonya Lifschitz & Robert Davidson
ARTIST Learn more about the artist
Artist Sonya Lifschitz - piano
Ukrainian-born/Australian-based Sonya Lifschitz is a pianist working across many contexts, with repertoire spanning from 15th century Faenza Codex to works written for her today. She is known for her fiercely imaginative, daring collaborations across film, animation, spoken word, visual and performance art. Described as “a life force of extraordinary density and capacity”, Sonya’s artistry combines bold adventurousness with exceptional musicianship. She is active as a soloist, creative collaborator, artistic director, educator, radio presenter and a passionate arts advocate for which tireless efforts she recently won the 2024 QPAC Excellence in Classical Music Award.