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Free Music with YourDNA Creative Arts

To celebrate International Day Of People With Disability, Melbourne Recital Centre presents YourDNA Creative Arts Music In Motion students, working alongside Steph O’Hara from SensiLab, Monash University.

Music In Motion Ensemble presents ‘The Sound Garden’ – an immersive journey where the artists of YourDNA Creative Arts explore the magic of collective music making through movement. Using musical instruments and wireless technology called AirSticks, performers collaborate through gestures and movement, transforming the air around them into an instrument that brings to life the sounds of their world in unexpected and delightful ways. The show unfolds like a living, breathing story, guiding audiences through a rich tapestry of sonic environments. At its heart stands the Sound Tree – a musical instrument where performers’ movements and interactions branch into intricate layers of sound, creating a musical ecosystem.

This project was generously supported by Australia Research Council, Monash University, SensiLab, YourDNA. The SoundTree design and development was supported by an Arts Grant from Maroondah City Council.

Caring for Our Community

Melbourne Recital Centre is committed to the safety of our artists, staff and patrons. A range of public health and hygiene measures are currently in place. Click here to learn more.

About the artist

Steph O’Hara is an interactive sound artist and researcher based in Melbourne (Naarm), Australia. With over two decades of experience Artist Biography at the forefront of interactive audio innovation, his work has been presented and acclaimed internationally. His installations and interfaces have captivated audiences at renowned cultural institutions, including the Melbourne Museum’s Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery, Melbourne Zoo After Dark Festival and OzAsia Festival, Perth Festival, Sydney Festival. He has also toured his work internationally including China, USA and the United Kingdom. Currently pursuing a PhD at SensiLab, Monash University, under the supervision of ARC Industry Fellow, Dr Alon Ilsar, Steph’s research explores ‘The Future of Creative Interactions: Adaptive Sensor Technologies for Inclusive Immersive Experiences,’ pushing the boundaries of accessible, expressive audio experiences through human-computer interaction.

Established in 2013, YourDNA Creative Arts is a community-based arts organisation committed to developing the lives of people of all abilities through arts-based courses. Its programs are designed to be accessible to people of all ages who are considered to have physical and intellectual disabilities. YourDNA Creative Arts empowers people to impact society in which they live, by unlocking their imaginations.

YourDNA’s Music in Motion students and facilitators co-designed and developed the Sound Tree together with professional musician Matt Stonehouse. The Sound Tree explores many different sounds to create music as a group and with the wider community. The Sound Tree is inspired by stories, soundscapes, and words from the world around us. Birds in the big tree sing and call. Forest sounds. Then the weather changes. Wind, rain, rustling and thunder. A wild and magical place.