Ria Soemardjo is a Melbourne based musician with a passion for collaboration across a diverse range of genres and artforms. Her evocative, textured soundscapes are often performed live using an eclectic array of unusual instruments including voice, gamelan instruments, percussion, found objects. Ria’s distinct, haunting vocal style and musicality reflects her Australian/Javanese cultural heritage and a deep appreciation for the timbres, rhythmic complexity and the ceremonial association of Balinese and Javanese gamelan traditions. Creating and performing music for independent contemporary dance & theatre projects in Australia & Asia - her most recent project ‘Of Frogs’, also features her own handmade sound sculptures, clay flutes and vocal resonators. Ria’s distinct, haunting vocal style and musicality reflects her Australian/Javanese cultural heritage and a deep appreciation for the timbres, rhythmic complexity and the ceremonial association of Balinese and Javanese gamelan traditions. She has studied Central and West Javanese vocal repertoire, and is highly respected in the world music scene and Australian Indonesian community for her performances with gamelan ensembles around Australia. Her contemporary world music trio -’Fine Blue Thread’ has recorded 2 albums of original compositions, skillfully melding Helen Mountfort’s baroque cello, Sam Evan’s tabla and percussion with Ria’s lyrics and soulful vocals.
Several compositions for dance works have received awards and nominations including Ros Warby’s Tower Suites (2012 Green Room Award with cellist Helen Mountfort) and Enfold (2016) & Opal Vapour (2013) - with dancer/choreographer Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal. In 2019 she worked with long term creative collaborator - director/writer Sandra Fiona Long & Bandung Mainteater company to create music & vocal scores for Hades Fading - a bi-lingual multimedia theatre work, presented in Bandung in 2019, & 2020 AsiaTOPA Festival.
Ria’s most recent works reflect her deep interest in developing powerful contemporary performance/rituals, often in response to natural or urban sites. She has been invited into Marrugeku’s ‘Contested lands’ choreo labs in 2022 (Broome) and 2023 (Sydney) along with a cohort of leading indigenous and intercultural artists, and is currently developing a new work with Tyas Tunggal’s, who has received a Asian Australian Choreographic Fellowship through Critical Path.
about
Ria Soemardjo is a vocalist and teacher.
Born in Melbourne of Australian/Indonesian descent, Ria draws on her deep respect for the Javanese musical tradition in her original compositions and soundscapes. She has performed in the classical Javanese vocal repertoire for many years and continues to perform regularly with gamelan groups around Australia.
Her distinct, haunting vocal style also reflects an eclectic range of influences, and she has recorded with a diverse range of ensembles – across genres including contemporary and trad world, to jazz and improvisation. Ria has a passion for collaborating with artists across diverse artforms and cultures. She has performed internationally in a range of diverse projects incorporating contemporary dance, theatre and installations, She has received Green Room nominations for her compositions and performance for dance works– including Enfold (2016) and Opal Vapour (2013) – and an award with Helen Mountfort for ‘Tower Suites’(2012), with dancer Ros Warby,. Recent collaborations include – sound design and composition for ‘Chinese Whispers’ installation (winner of best live art in Melbourne Fringe Festival). Ria has recently launched ‘Blueprint’ - the second album of original music with her trio ‘Fine Blue Thread’ featuring tabla, cello, viola and voice.
Other past performing highlights include Melbourne Recital Centre, Singapore Performing Arts Showcase and the Biwako Biennale (Japan) 2007 with the Tony Yap Company. Ria has been a featured artist at the Melbourne Festival in 2006 and 2007 and her performances at the Iwaki auditorium have been broadcast on Radio National ‘Music Deli’ shows.
Born in Melbourne of Australian/Indonesian descent, Ria draws on her deep respect for the Javanese musical tradition in her original compositions and soundscapes. She has performed in the classical Javanese vocal repertoire for many years and continues to perform regularly with gamelan groups around Australia.
Her distinct, haunting vocal style also reflects an eclectic range of influences, and she has recorded with a diverse range of ensembles – across genres including contemporary and trad world, to jazz and improvisation. Ria has a passion for collaborating with artists across diverse artforms and cultures. She has performed internationally in a range of diverse projects incorporating contemporary dance, theatre and installations, She has received Green Room nominations for her compositions and performance for dance works– including Enfold (2016) and Opal Vapour (2013) – and an award with Helen Mountfort for ‘Tower Suites’(2012), with dancer Ros Warby,. Recent collaborations include – sound design and composition for ‘Chinese Whispers’ installation (winner of best live art in Melbourne Fringe Festival). Ria has recently launched ‘Blueprint’ - the second album of original music with her trio ‘Fine Blue Thread’ featuring tabla, cello, viola and voice.
Other past performing highlights include Melbourne Recital Centre, Singapore Performing Arts Showcase and the Biwako Biennale (Japan) 2007 with the Tony Yap Company. Ria has been a featured artist at the Melbourne Festival in 2006 and 2007 and her performances at the Iwaki auditorium have been broadcast on Radio National ‘Music Deli’ shows.
Past Collaborations
Current PRojects