Constellations

##### Two of the world’s most fearless ensembles bring their shared philosophy to a program of ritual, rhythm and radical connection. Manchester Collective and the Australian Chamber Orchestra share more than a stage. They hold a shared philosophy of music without borders, programming across centuries, genres and traditions as a matter of instinct, not novelty. For years, these two ensembles have been circling each other from opposite sides of the world. In 2027, they finally meet. Rakhi Singh has been at the heart of Manchester Collective since co-founding the ensemble 10 years ago. For her Australian Chamber Orchestra debut, she directs a program with the restless magic of a great mixtape. Purcell dances into Abrahamsen. English folksong meets the pulse of West Africa. At the centre of the program is Sidiki Dembélé, returning to Australia after his unforgettable performances with Abel Selaocoe and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Born of his family’s Ivorian griot tradition, Sidiki’s music is a living archive – storytelling passed down generations, hand to hand, drum to drum, voice to voice. He brings folksong and ceremony from Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Senegal into direct conversation with the strings. Adding a further dimension is an Australian premiere from British composer and multidisciplinary artist Nwando Ebizie, whose Afrofuturist vision draws on ancestral heritage and rites to reimagine what comes next. Her music calls on the spirits of the past to greet the future. 'We create radical human experiences, inspired by the music that we love.' – _Manchester Collective_