A Note From Taikoz AD Ian Cleworth
Author: TZ
Date: Wed 25 May 2016
Our company, Synergy and Taikoz, has a proud 62 year history. Together we have have nurtured the careers of some of Australia’s finest percussionists and have been instrumental in the introduction of non-western music styles into mainstream and art music practices in Australia. We’ve commissioned over 200 new works for percussion and wadaiko, many of which have been hugely influential in defining percussion ensembles today and have launched the international careers of Australia’s leading composers.
Both groups have collaborated with many of the exceptional artists and composers of this era, both within and across artforms, have passionately shared expertise and knowledge with a broad range of community and young people, as well as nurturing experienced and aspiring young professional Australian music artists.
We encompass our future, focused on what we do best, creating new music, commissioning and performing new work, striving for the highest level of execution and artistry possible.
Nevertheless, recently the Australia Council announced the multiyear funding results for the next 4-year period, 2017-2020. Like many worthy organisations we were not successful. This is a big disappointment for the company and our artists, and a shock to many of our industry colleagues and supporters. The Australia Council provided annual core income, which enabled both ensembles to establish the necessary infrastructure to support our program of artistic and educational activities. It gave us the means to focus on developing and producing new work, to explore innovative collaborations and enable long term creative and business planning. Multiyear funding has established the platform that enabled over five hundred thousand people nationally, regionally and internationally to share our work.
The loss of our Australia Council core funding presents a significant challenge for us. The board, staff and ensemble members are now focused on restructuring the company, securing new sources of core funding and income that will enable us to continue to deliver our much loved annual programs.
In 2015 we presented 833 projects across concerts, workshops and classes nationally and internationally, we had a physical touch point with audiences and community of over 38,000 people and through digital and broadcast avenues we performed to over 2 million people. And by the end of this year, Taikoz alone will have presented…
• 31 concert hall / theatre performances, including collaborations with Lingalayam Dance Company (Chi Udaka) and Moorambilla Voices (MAXed Out! and the Moorambilla Festival)
• Our self-presented 5-week, 17-concert tour to ten capital and regional city venues in five states and territories (Chi Udaka)
• An international tour to India (Chi Udaka)
• Over 100 concerts for school children in New South Wales and Queensland
• All alongside… nearly 500 sessions of teaching and workshops for the general community!
Pretty amazing statistics for a defunded company!
I speak on behalf of the members of Taikoz when we say how intensely grateful we are for the incredible encouragement and generous support we have received over the past two decades. We now need you to continue and expand your support so we can plan for our future. Buying tickets to our concerts and spreading the word to your friends and contacts is a most effective (and hugely) appreciated way of continuing to show your support! Music and performance is a shared experience between the artist and the audience and we cherish you, our audience. You are our muse and the reason we continue.
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A Note From Taikoz AD Ian Cleworth
Author: TZ
Date: Wed 25 May 2016
Our company, Synergy and Taikoz, has a proud 62 year history. Together we have have nurtured the careers of some of Australia’s finest percussionists and have been instrumental in the introduction of non-western music styles into mainstream and art music practices in Australia. We’ve commissioned over 200 new works for percussion and wadaiko, many of which have been hugely influential in defining percussion ensembles today and have launched the international careers of Australia’s leading composers.
Both groups have collaborated with many of the exceptional artists and composers of this era, both within and across artforms, have passionately shared expertise and knowledge with a broad range of community and young people, as well as nurturing experienced and aspiring young professional Australian music artists.
We encompass our future, focused on what we do best, creating new music, commissioning and performing new work, striving for the highest level of execution and artistry possible.
Nevertheless, recently the Australia Council announced the multiyear funding results for the next 4-year period, 2017-2020. Like many worthy organisations we were not successful. This is a big disappointment for the company and our artists, and a shock to many of our industry colleagues and supporters. The Australia Council provided annual core income, which enabled both ensembles to establish the necessary infrastructure to support our program of artistic and educational activities. It gave us the means to focus on developing and producing new work, to explore innovative collaborations and enable long term creative and business planning. Multiyear funding has established the platform that enabled over five hundred thousand people nationally, regionally and internationally to share our work.
The loss of our Australia Council core funding presents a significant challenge for us. The board, staff and ensemble members are now focused on restructuring the company, securing new sources of core funding and income that will enable us to continue to deliver our much loved annual programs.
In 2015 we presented 833 projects across concerts, workshops and classes nationally and internationally, we had a physical touch point with audiences and community of over 38,000 people and through digital and broadcast avenues we performed to over 2 million people. And by the end of this year, Taikoz alone will have presented…
• 31 concert hall / theatre performances, including collaborations with Lingalayam Dance Company (Chi Udaka) and Moorambilla Voices (MAXed Out! and the Moorambilla Festival)
• Our self-presented 5-week, 17-concert tour to ten capital and regional city venues in five states and territories (Chi Udaka)
• An international tour to India (Chi Udaka)
• Over 100 concerts for school children in New South Wales and Queensland
• All alongside… nearly 500 sessions of teaching and workshops for the general community!
Pretty amazing statistics for a defunded company!
I speak on behalf of the members of Taikoz when we say how intensely grateful we are for the incredible encouragement and generous support we have received over the past two decades. We now need you to continue and expand your support so we can plan for our future. Buying tickets to our concerts and spreading the word to your friends and contacts is a most effective (and hugely) appreciated way of continuing to show your support! Music and performance is a shared experience between the artist and the audience and we cherish you, our audience. You are our muse and the reason we continue.