Collusion Music received Arts Queensland funding to present the Chamber Ballet 2014 series. Through a program of events, Collusion delivered diverse performances that delighted, engaged, and enriched Queensland urban and regional audiences through performances of 12 new compositions.
The 2014 program included premiere performances, first stage developments, regional community concerts, school workshops and cross- art form collaborations across Queensland.
Collusion Music is an ensemble of freelance musicians and dance practitioners exploring the synergy between music and dance. The key creative team includes: Benjamin Greaves (Violinist), Diana Tolmie (Clarinet), Dr Danielle Bentley (Australian Art Music scholar), Gareth Belling (Resident Choreographer) and Susan Hawkins (Composer).
A partnership with the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts (JWCOCA) through the Fresh Ground program, an Ensemble in Residency at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and support through Projects and Program Funding enabled Collusion Music to further create, develop, refine and tour major work.
December 2013 to November 2014
Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Redlands, Clare, Townsville and Cairns
$59,121 – Projects and Programs Fund
YouTube clip - Transient Beauty - A Chamber Ballet
It was wonderful to see how all the work previously created by Collusion Music has informed and deepened the poignant beauty of this more traditional collaboration, it was breathtakingly Beautiful. I was transfixed from the first breath
Lovely movement marrying with the music... I especially loved the ending with the motif being repeated, so emotional!
I thought this was one of the most engaging performances combining musicians and dancers that I have ever attended. Though the themes were not new, they were handled elegantly and with such a clear narrative that the performance was never pretentious or forcing a point. I would definitely attend another such performance by these collaborators
Collusion Music provided the following reflections on what worked well, lessons they have learnt and advice for other artists:
Marketing your product should always be based on strong relationships with your audience. The quality of Collusion’s products in 2014 was consistently excellent, but audience numbers were lower than forecast. A greater focus on relationship-based marketing will assist in growing audiences in 2015.
Two of Collusions major productions All in the Wash and Transient Beauty were presented for 'One Night Only' seasons in Brisbane. While it reduced presenting costs for the productions, it proved a financial risk. In 2015 Collusion will be presenting our collaboration with dance across a one week season to gain greater market visibility.
Plan contingencies into everything – you can never really understand how much a Bass Clarinet road-case weighs until you have to pay the excess baggage fee.
Email: benjamin@collusion.com.au
Phone: 0404 646 709
Website: http://www.collusion.com.au
Download a pdf version of Collusion Music - Chamber Ballet case study (PDF) (368.98 KB).