Overview
This spring 2024, Rosalind Park's historic Conservatory will come to life with "Sonic Bloom", a transformative sound experience designed by Artistic Producer Aimee Chapman and commissioned by the City of Greater Bendigo with support from Emporium Creative Hub. Sonic Bloom invites you to step away from the everyday bombardment of screens and visual stimuli and reconnect with Bendigo’s extraordinary parks and gardens through immersive soundscapes, audio stories, and live music.
Join us on the Conservatory lawns on Sundays, September 8, October 6, and November 3, as Aimee Chapman is joined by an eclectic roster of talented musicians and performers from across regional Victoria, including Troy Firebrace, Aviva Endean, and Nathan Curnow. Together, they will create improvised live performances fuelled by sound recordings from Bendigo’s parks and gardens, including talks with the workers and volunteers who care for these beautiful spaces. These performances will then be available to experience by visitors during Conservatory opening hours for the remainder of Spring.
Bring a picnic and immerse yourself in this harmonious blend of art, nature, history, and community at Rosalind Park's Conservatory, Pall Mall, Bendigo.
Live Performances at Conservatory Gardens:
Sunday September 8 at 2:00PM - 3:00PM
Featuring Aimee Chapman with Troy Firebrace and Bricky B
Join us for the inaugural Sonic Bloom live event, where the Conservatory will come alive with the powerful fusion of sound and storytelling. Artistic producer and sound artist Aimee Chapman will set the stage with her immersive soundscapes that connect people to place and each other. She collaborates with Troy Firebrace, a proud Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung man, who invites audiences to connect with Country and culture through his artistic vision. His meditative approach to art will be echoed in this immersive sound experience. Adding a dynamic layer to the performance, Bricky B, a renowned Yorta Yorta Yenbenna hip-hop and spoken word artist, will bring his distinct blend of voice and instrumental prowess, offering profound narratives that resonate with both personal and communal experiences. This is a unique opportunity to experience the intersection of sound, art, and cultural storytelling in Bendigo’s historic Rosalind Park Conservatory.
Sunday October 6 at 2:00PM - 3:00PM
Featuring Aimee Chapman with Aviva Endean and a soon to be announced artist
On October 6, the Sonic Bloom series continues with a captivating collaboration led by Aimee Chapman, whose work in sound art aims to connect audiences with their environment and each other through deeply resonant soundscapes. This performance sees Chapman joining forces with Aviva Endean, a clarinettist and sound artist known for her innovative approach to music and deep commitment to connecting people through attentive listening. Endean’s work traverses experimental and improvised music, theatre, and cross-disciplinary collaborations, creating a space where boundaries of sound are reimagined. Joined by a local emerging artist, this performance will draw on the natural environment and sonic possibilities of the Conservatory, offering an experience that is both intimate and expansive. Don’t miss this opportunity to be immersed in a transformative soundscape that pushes the limits of traditional music performance.
Sunday November 3 at 2:00PM - 3:00PM
Featuring Aimee Chapman with Nathan Curnow and Geoffrey Williams as The Night Reverses
Concluding the Sonic Bloom series, this November 3 event features a unique performance curated by Aimee Chapman, who uses her expertise in sound to create immersive environments that encourage personal reflection and connection. This performance will feature The Night Reverses, where spoken word poetry meets live music improvisation. Poet Nathan Curnow and loop-artist Geoffrey Williams create an electrifying synergy as they blend verse, soul, funk, and blues in a spontaneous and unpredictable format. Curnow’s poetry presents Williams with an on-the-spot challenge, where each poem, heard for the first time, is transformed into a layered musical composition using Williams' expertise with a loop machine. This high-risk, high-reward performance promises to be a memorable closing to the Sonic Bloom series, leaving audiences spellbound by the power of words and music.
Sound installation daily throughout Spring inside the Conservatory:
Opening hours: 7 days a week, 7am - 9:30pm
