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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (April 17, 2015) — From the Outback to Northeast Tennessee, didgeridoo masters Rob Thomas and Tanya Gerard will bring a piece of Australian culture to Milligan College on Friday, April 24, at 8 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium located in Seeger Chapel. The concert, “Music & More from the Land Down Under,” is presented by the Milligan College Arts Council and is free and open to the public.
Thomas and Gerard will play an assortment of worldly percussion instruments and didgeridoos, which are usually hollowed-out tree trunks or branches that have been played by Aboriginal people for at least 1,500 years. Using a modern style, the duo will mix fast-paced rhythms with relaxing soundscapes and organic sound effects. They also will tell colorful stories about their travels throughout Australia, including their time in Aboriginal communities.
“This entertaining and educational concert will take the audience on a musical journey to the Australian Outback, coastal rainforests, the Great Barrier Reef and beyond,” said Charlotte Anderson, director of Milligan’s Arts Council and assistant professor of the practice of music. “Audience members also are encouraged to participate in a question and answer session after the show.”
Thomas and Gerard are true didgeridoo pioneers in the U.S., having played and made didges for more than 20 years. They’ve performed throughout the country, recorded several albums and produced music for numerous films, including the IMAX movie “Sacred Planet.” Gerard grew up in Australia, and both she and Thomas traveled extensively abroad, before moving to North Carolina in 2013 to work full-time with Didgeridoo Down Under, a performance and education group for schools, K-12.
The musicians will present a workshop titled “Aussie Funk Jam: Learn to Play Didgeridoo Workshop” the following morning, Saturday, April 25, at 10:30 a.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium. Thomas and Gerard will teach participants how to play the didgeridoo with beginner PVC didges. The workshop is free and open to the public, but limited to only 40 participants. RSVP by emailing rmyers@milligan.edu.
The concert and workshop are being offered to Milligan for free in exchange for the audience’s and participant’s permission to be recorded on film and in photography during the programs. Select video footage and photos from the show and workshop will be posted on the Didgeridoo Down Under website, www.didgrevolution.com.
For more information on arts events at Milligan, visit www.milligan.edu/arts.