Search for the Sublime: An Evening of Percy Grainger

Play On and Swampland Magazine are proud to present one enigmatic event in memory of one eccentric man: Percy Grainger. Held in collaboration with the Grainger Museum, this’ll be one night to discover, or rekindle your relationship with one of Australia’s most famed composers.

Born in Brighton, Melbourne in 1882, the man would go from inauspicious beginnings to become the darling of the classical music world, traversing concert halls in Europe and North America housing dignitaries and doyennes alike. Clearly, he had some staying power: 20,000 people rocked up to his wedding to Swedish poet and artist Ella Strom in 1926. We hope to bring some of that magic back to the Grainger Museum for one night only.

Here’s how it’ll happen: We’ll be giving an introduction to the virtuoso, via his words, compositions and musical inventions. For those unacquainted, Melbourne-based writer Samuel Flynn will be reading a short excerpt of his essay on the Grainger—shifting the usual focus on his kinks to one that stakes his claim as “Australia’s first electronic musician”. Our pals OK EG will be on hand to bring his music to life with a short performance of a piece informed by the composer’s life and music.

Stick around for booze and tunes courtesy of Play On DJs, and be sure to bring along your mates, and any niggling questions you have about Grainger—we’ll be able to help out.

Doors @ 7.30pm. Set-times to be announced on the day. 
Tickets: $5 concession, $10 full price.

All booking fee proceeds will be donated to Room to Read Australia courtesy of Humanitix.

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Swampland is a bi-annual print-journal specialising in longform Australian music journalism and photography. Our forthcoming issue (due out in June 2018) will feature the likes of Sampa the Great, Maxine Beneba Clarke and Prue Stent x Honey long. Previous issues may be viewed here.

Play On is a performing arts company that showcases Australia’s most acclaimed young classical musicians alongside the country’s best electronic artists, connecting audiences and performers through its unique and unconventional concert format.