Ria Soemardjo is a Melbourne based musician with a passion for collaborating with artists across diverse range of genres and artforms. Her distinct, haunting vocal style reflects her Australian/Indonesian cultural heritage and she draws on her fascination for Indonesian musical traditions in her song writing and collaborative projects. Ria’s most recent works explore powerful contemporary performance/rituals, often in response to natural or urban sites.
CURRENT PROJECTS/EVENTS
NGAYOMI/ SHELTER
Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal & Ria Soemardjo
NSW residency and performances - April 2024
Ngayomi/Shelter is a shared journey between audience and two performers, a contemplation on water, displacement and hope. Premiering at Bundanon, encounter delicate sculptural objects, powerful movement and a live soundscape in this intimate experience.
Hosted by two wise aunties, audiences are gently and playfully guided into an intimate encounter with sculptural objects, Jade Dewi’s powerful and sensual movement, and Ria’s bespoke musical instruments and voice creating a mesmerising soundscape. Set in a dystopian future, in a newly regenerating landscape, Ngayomi/Shelter evokes a ceremony for the losses and horror of the past, grounded in hope for the future.
NSW residency and performances - April 2024
Ngayomi/Shelter is a shared journey between audience and two performers, a contemplation on water, displacement and hope. Premiering at Bundanon, encounter delicate sculptural objects, powerful movement and a live soundscape in this intimate experience.
Hosted by two wise aunties, audiences are gently and playfully guided into an intimate encounter with sculptural objects, Jade Dewi’s powerful and sensual movement, and Ria’s bespoke musical instruments and voice creating a mesmerising soundscape. Set in a dystopian future, in a newly regenerating landscape, Ngayomi/Shelter evokes a ceremony for the losses and horror of the past, grounded in hope for the future.
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SURAT-SURATNYA
DEC 6th-17th - La Mama Theatre 
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A collaboration between Stage of Wawan Sofwan, Sandra Fiona Long and Ria Soemardjo. Surat-Suratnya takes over La Mama HQ’s theatre and rehearsal hub with two performances inspired by these letters: Our Last Dinner Was Sayur Lodeh: A young mother prepares the final meal for her family in Jakarta before they flee to the safety of Australia. A monologue adapted by Wawan Sofwan and performed by Ellen Marning. Between the Letters: An intimate installation performance, created and performed by Ibu Helen’s daughter, singer and artist Ria Soemardjo, navigating the intergenerational impact of the loss of homeland experienced by her father as a political exile living in Victoria. |
NEW ALBUM - available on BANDCAMP >>
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WHAT MAKES ME HUMAN. This long awaited recording expands on the trio's signature approach of beautifully crafted and textured contemporary world music compositions
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UPCOMING EVENTS
RECENT PERFORMANCES
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ALBUM LAUNCH - AUGUST 2023
Tuesday 12 September 2023 6pm
Melbourne Recital Centre, Primrose Potter Salon SOLD OUT Fine Blue Thread play finely crafted, fresh and intriguing compositions that are grounded in the traditions of Indian, Javanese and Western music |
'What If Music…'. Music Market, Collingwood Yards. June 10th 2023
collaboration with Firetail and Balinese Gamelan, presented and supported by the Boite
collaboration with Firetail and Balinese Gamelan, presented and supported by the Boite
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'On one tune, Ria Soemardjo’s gloriously melismatic vocals slid over a gracefully strummed Javanese zither; on another, the singer launched into a brisk passage of konnakol (South Indian vocal percussion) with Keshav Yoganathan.....' Review by Jessica Nicholas, The Age ★★★★ June 10 2023 read review >> |
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of frogs - live performance work
Premiere - September 2022 Darebin Speakeasy - Fuse Festival.
Premiere - September 2022 Darebin Speakeasy - Fuse Festival.
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AUDIENCE REVIEWS |
‘Of Frogs’ is a new performance work, inspired by frogs and our waterways, a performance ritual of voice, percussion & shadow play interacting with water.
A mesmerising performance springing from percussion, voice and shadow play, invoking the life cycle of frogs, forgotten waterways and lost springs
Sandra Fiona Long & Ria Soemardjo with Jeremy Dullard & Ron Reeves
Presented by Darebin Arts Speakeasy and KP Productions
A mesmerising performance springing from percussion, voice and shadow play, invoking the life cycle of frogs, forgotten waterways and lost springs
Sandra Fiona Long & Ria Soemardjo with Jeremy Dullard & Ron Reeves
Presented by Darebin Arts Speakeasy and KP Productions
Sanctuary - Mapping Melbourne Festival 2021
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2021. Short video work - devised by Ria Soemardjo, multi-layered sound compositions featuring gamelan instruments, voice and Ron Reeves on khene (Thai reed instrument) and percussion, woven with Jon’s text and movement. Cinematography by Max Milne.
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'As a child, growing up in a remote Thai village, actress Jon (Pongjit Saphakhun) recalls a magical time, spending hours playing under a huge fragrant moon fruit tree. Ceremonies in her village were often chaotic, joyful social events, reflecting an intimate, direct relationship with the natural world – and a deep respect for trees. Now in Melbourne, Jon listens for this connection in the trees she encounters on her walks.'
murmuring walk guided audio walk soundtrack
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Created in collaboration with Charlotte Roberts and Sandra Fiona Long. Murmuring Walk is an audio-guided walk reflecting the environment, birdlife and natural rhythms of Sanatorium lake, Mount Macedon
This beautiful guided walk can be experienced at any time > > |
swallow walk guided audio walk soundtrack
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Created in iso, Swallow Walk is an audio-guided experience of Edwardes Lake in Reservoir, inspired by the lake’s surrounding environment and its migratory birds including the Welcome Swallows that flit over the lake, especially at springtime. Created in collaboration with writer Sandra Fiona Long, launched in November 2020, culminating in a beautiful live event incorporating the recorded audio and the sound of gongs and other gamelan instruments resonating across the lake.
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Commissioned and funded by Darebin Arts for HYPERLOCAL – a new series of immersive art works that invites audiences to see Darebin differently. Presented by FUSE Darebin.
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Ria performed in Asiatopa Festival February 2020 - Hades Fading/Hades Memudar. Indonesia/Australia collaboration with Mainteater company, This exciting bilingual play was developed and premiered in Bandung in 2019.
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Ria worked with director /writer Sandra Long, guzheng player Sisca Harp, and the dynamic Mainteater actors, including Bandung poet Godi Suwarna to create live music & vocal soundscapes for this production.
