First Rhythms: Adam Manning and Australian Art Orchestra
First Rhythm
First Nations composer and musician, Adam Manning joins forces with renowned creative music ensemble, Australian Art Orchestra for a performance that reimagines clapsticks, First Nations rhythms and visual art to explore the living pulse of Country. Blending traditional percussion with modern instruments, improvisation and notation, it creates a living dialogue between sound, movement, and Country. This performance is guided by the Indigenous understanding that everything is alive and carries a pulse – such as the earth’s natural rhythm.
In the words of Manning, a Kamilaroi man, "Working with the AAO allows me to place the clapsticks at the centre of a conversation - not just as instruments, but as carriers of memory, movement, and connection to Country. This collaboration with the Australian Art Orchestra is more than a performance - it’s a living dialogue. I feel like we’re creating a sonic canvas where tradition and innovation meet, grounded in the pulse of Country".
Event Information
- Date: This Live performance occured on Thursday 2 October 2025
- Location: Newcastle Conservatorium of Music - Cnr Laman and Auckland Streets, Newcastle, 2300
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.