Alluvial Gold

Solo performance

Developed in close collaboration with visual artist Erin Coates and composer Stuart James, the focus of this project is the history of Australian shellfish reefs in metropolitan rivers, offering a new lens through which to view bodies of water around our cities. The removal of shellfish reefs has impacted river systems across southern and eastern Australia including Birrarung (VIC), Derbarl Yerrigan (WA) and Timtumili minanya (TAS). During settlement, native shellfish reefs were heavily dredged and ground-up as a source of lime for mortar, roads and building materials at over 150 sites across Australian cities.

The work existing both as art installation and as concert performance, featuring a sonified curtain of oystershell, sculptural instruments of ceramic, bronze and aluminium and underwater video and audio materials used in combination with a vibraphone.

Premiere: February 2021, Heathcote Cultural Precinct.

Cosmic Time is a new performance by artist Michaela Gleave, created in collaboration with composer Amanda Cole and percussionist Louise Devenish. The project considers time on a cosmological scale and is informed by historic scientific and musical concepts such as orbital resonance and harmonic sequencing, and involves alternate, opposing, and intersecting rhythmic and metric schemas. Four percussionists, each appearing as a spirit from the multi-verse in costumes designed by Katie Plummer, sound a sequence of eight, interwoven explorations of time and space. Resonant, pitched metallic instruments, sparkling clusters of bells and triangles, low drums, woods and tam-tam are used in combination with electronics to evoke atmospheres, sensations and rhythms scaling from the fall-out of the big bang; the endless circling of planetary forms; the fluttering heartbeats of desert mice; and the dissolve of consciousness into the astral plane. Image by Silversalt.

Premiere: 24 April 2021, TarraWarra Biennial: Slow Moving Waters.

Harnessing and transforming the extraordinary resonance of the vibraphone using a variety of creative performance techniques, audiences are invited into a series of sonic possible worlds, each exploring the vital presence of water in our lives and environment. Sonic possible worlds features the premiere of two new works by composers Alice Humphries, and Louise Devenish and Stuart James, alongside music by Kate Moore, Torū Takemitsu, Lachlan Skipworth and more.

An online project developed in collaboration with composer Jet Kye Chong. Nine performers distributed across the southern hemisphere in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia explore the use of latency as an agent for metric change when performing online via Discord. Each performer and listener experience a unique version of the work depending on location. Out-of-phase rhythmic cells are perceived as stable in different locations, with moments of unity experienced only in transition. Published as a portfolio on the Drumming@50 website, the project includes performances, score and essay.

Sheets of Sound is Louise’s latest solo project, featuring two new commissions composed by Annie Hui-Hsin Hseih and Matthias Schack-Arnott. Sheets of Sound diversifies the sonic possibilities of metal, paper, plastic, skin and electronics. This tactile sound world is paired with instruments and objects carefully and spatially arranged. An invitation to discover new percussion music, Sheets of Sound is a curious exploration of the intersection between sound, performance and installation. Produced by Tura New Music.

Premiere: 28 and 29 June, 7:30pm, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts.

Pre-show artist talk: Saturday 29 June, 5pm