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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 is also a highly skilled teacher and workshop facilitator, who loves to share her fascination for voice and rhythm through her workshops and classes |
NEWS
'Sanctuary' - our beautiful short film is now officially launched!
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2021. Devised by Ria Soemardjo, multi-layered sound compositions featuring gamelan instruments, voice and Ron Reeves on khene (Thai reed instrument) and percussion, are 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.'
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, the project was 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.
The guided audio walk is available for free, and the walk around Edwardes Lake can be experienced at anytime - info >> |
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. 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 and vocal soundscapes for this production.
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rhythm |
resonance |
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Connecting with our innate sense of rhythm....
I offer workshops in the TaKeTiNa Rhythm process, as developed by world renouned percussionist and rhythm educator - Reinhardt Flatischler. |
Voice/Intention/Breath/Expression...
Private sessions for people seeking to explore their vocal potential. I draw on my intensive training as a teacher of the Alexander Technique - used world wide as an approach to refining our kinaesthetic intelligence as we move/sound/ think. |
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Performing with Melbourne Community Gamelan and their visiting teacher - the multi-talented Danis Sugiyanto. Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet theatre) is one of my favourite events - incorporating live gamelan, beautiful puppets, improvised comedy, epic stories. Here is one of the highlights for me, Danis is accompanying me singing one a very popular solo Javanese song, on violin, in his own unique style...
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Recent/Current Projects
All Ria’s work integrates, in quite an exquisite way, an aesthetic coming directly from an Asian tradition (with which she has cultural links) and her Australian context. This kind of work enriches the culturally diverse landscape in Australia and opens new possibilities. It is breathtakingly beautiful, and deserves to be fostered in order to continue and grow....Ria is an artist of great skill and humility, who is quite unique in her ideas, talents and dedication to her work. (Bagryana Popov 2002)
