Orchestra breaks new ground

Music

Elder Conservatorium graduate Jamie Messenger will present an Australian first later this month when he composes a rock concert for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Messenger will arrange a mix of music targeted for young people in a one-hour concert on July 27 and 28, entitled The Edge.

The ASO will push its traditional classical boundaries with orchestrations of contemporary artists, including Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, Muse and Sigur Ros.

"The Edge is an Adelaide Symphony Orchestra initiative that breaks new ground," said ASO managing director Rainer Jozeps.

"It's an absolute first in Australia. The concert will be broadcast on Triple J, making the ASO the first symphony orchestra in Australia to be broadcast on both ABC-FM and Triple J."

Messenger's play list will include a combination of symphonic instruments and a rhythmic section of electronic keyboard, guitar and percussion.

"The concert has been programmed by young people to target a different demographic, steering away from the purely classical genre," Messenger said.

"The ASO will breathe new life and energy into the much-loved music of Radiohead and Jeff Buckley, among others. The concert will also include music from one of Australia's hottest bands in Wolfmother, the legendary Flaming Lips, Britain's Grandaddy and the dynamic Ben Harper."

Messenger graduated from the Elder Conservatorium in 2004, where he studied under Graeme Koehne, with First Class Honours in composition. Since then he has arranged orchestral parts for concerts in the ASO's Showtime series, Orchestral Beatles and Zorba.

As well as his compositions for orchestras and choirs, Messenger regularly performs with his own alternative indie band The Scholars and plays post-modern cabaret with Club Schmaltz. His eclectic approach to music has resulted in two major support gigs this year for Jimmy Barnes and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

In June 2005, the ASO performed the world premiere of Messenger's new work, "Music for an Absent Film", as part of the Malaysian Airlines Master Series. The ASO also performed another of his works, "The Fun Factory", as part of their educational series of concerts.

Last month, Messenger also helped write the orchestral score for an ASO Pink Floyd concert at the Festival Theatre.

Tickets for The Edge concert are on sale now. For bookings, phone BASS on 131 246.