Listening to Antarctica

A musical and visual reimagining of the Antarctic travelogue.

Featuring renowned violinist Anna McMichael, pianist Paul Grabowsky, trumpeter Peter Knight, and visual artist Nick Roux, Listening to Antarctica reimagines the early 20th-century Antarctic travelogue, a spectacular form of public entertainment that combined lectures, storytelling, lantern slides, music and theatrical elements to portray Antarctic exploration as a heroic struggle against a dangerous and unforgiving landscape.

This thought-provoking project shifts the focus away from human heroism and survival towards Antarctica’s mystery, fragility, and wonder, reflecting the profound changes brought about by the climate crisis and humanity’s growing impact on the continent.

Drawing on historic glass lantern slides from the State Library of Victoria, including images connected to Antarctic expeditions by Andrew Keith Jack and John King Davis, this performance brings Antarctica’s past landscapes into conversation with the present. Roux reanimates these images, while contemporary Antarctic scientists reflect on how our understanding of and relationship with Antarctica has changed.

The poignant musical soundscapes created by McMichael, Grabowsky, and Knight, layered with Antarctic field recordings invite listeners to experience the continent as a fragile and vital part of Earth’s climate and life systems.

This concert is part of our See Beyond series. See Beyond is generously supported by the Robert Salzer Foundation.

Tickets

Standard $50 ($40 Concession)

Please note, seating in the Primrose Potter Salon is General Admission.

A Transaction Fee between $4 and $8.50 applies to orders made online and by phone. Delivery Fees may also apply. A ticket limit of six is in place online to ensure fair ticket access for all. Want to bring a bigger party? Call our Box Office during business hours on (03) 9699 3333 to book.

Artists

Anna McMichael violin 
Paul Grabowsky piano
Peter Knight trumpet, electronics 
Nick Roux visuals

About the Artists

Anna McMichael is an Australian-born violinist who returned in 2010 to live in Australia after 17 years in Holland performing in many of the major European ensembles and orchestras. 

In Australia, Anna performed as a concerto soloist with the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and Queensland Symphony Orchestra. She was awarded a Queen's Jubilee scholarship in 1993 to study with Vera Beths at the Royal Conservatorium, the Hague in The Netherlands where she graduated cum laude in 1995. Anna also followed lessons with Alexander Kerr and baroque violin with Elizabeth Wallfisch. As well as her performance studies, Anna has a master's degree in Historical Musicology from King’s College, London, and a Doctorate from Sydney Conservatorium. Between 2014-2019 Anna was Co-Director of the Tyalgum Music Festival. 

Since 2019 she is Co-ordinator of Strings and Honours Coordinator at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance, Monash University, Melbourne.

Paul Grabowsky is a pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, and one of Australia's most distinguished artists. He is the founder and artistic director of the Australian Art Orchestra, with which he tours both nationally and internationally. Recent AAO projects have concentrated on collaborations with traditional and contemporary indigenous performers, something which Paul passionately advocates. He has won four ARIA awards, two Helpmann awards, several Bell Awards, and a Deadly award. He was artistic director of the Queensland Music Festival from 2005-2007 and the 2010 Adelaide Festival and is currently artistic director of the 2012 Adelaide Festival. Paul Grabowsky regularly performs with his trio, quartet and sextet, mainly performing his own compositions.

Australian trumpeter/composer/sound artist, Peter Knight, is a multidisciplinary musician who has gained wide acclaim for his distinctive approach, which integrates jazz, experimental, and world music traditions. Peter's work as both performer and composer is regularly featured in a range of ensemble settings, he also composes for theatre, creates sound installations, and is the Artistic Director of one of Australia's leading contemporary music ensembles, the Australian Art Orchestra (AAO).

Nick Roux is an artist working in sound and video. His work emerges from the junction of technology, live performance and system design. Using modular synthesis, real-time video, acoustic sound, custom software, electronics and physical computing, Nick also designs and builds bespoke devices for performance. 

Based in Melbourne, he collaborates with a vast selection of the contemporary arts community. Operating within the live arts and contemporary performance sphere, he has worked with: Luke George and Collaborators, Tristan Meecham, Chunky Move, Robin Fox, Aphids, Nicola Gunn, Sisters Grimm, Speak Percussion, Matthias Shack-Arnott, Antony Hamilton Projects, Lucy Guerin Inc, Tamara Saulwick, All the Queens Men, Arts House, Melbourne Theatre Company, The Malthouse Theatre, Chamber Made, Dance North, Science Gallery Melbourne, TasDance, Marco Fusinato, Gideon Obarzanek and MONA.