Sonya Lifschitz - Duet for One

A visually and sonically breathtaking duet across time and place.

Duet for One is a collaboration between virtuoso pianist Sonya Lifschitz, composer/media artist Damian Barbeler and pioneering interactive media artist Tim Gruchy. Pairing spectacular imagery of the Australian landscape with Barbeler's colouristic and inventive score, this immersive work is a striking showcase for Sonya's renowned expressive artistry.

Featuring the time-and-space-bending device of Sonya performing in duet with herself on location in the film, this cinematic concert seamlessly blends live music performance, film, projections, ritual theatre, sound sculpture and sound design. Traversing emotional terrains that are by turns intimate, surreal and exhilarating, Duet for One delves into the vexed question of our modern-day relationship with the Australian natural landscape.

Praise for Sonya Lifschitz

‘A poetic journey in sound and light. Sonya is astonishing both as a musician but also as a character.’ – Tim Jetis, Jim Henson's Creature Shop, Cabinet of Wonders

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

Sonya Lifschitz piano
Damian Barbeler composer, media artist
Tim Gruchy multimedia

About the Artists

Sonya Lifschitz - piano

Described by The Age as "a theatre actor, an orchestra and a soloist all at the same time," and praised by The New York Times for her "dynamic and powerful" performances, Sonya Lifschitz is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning Ukrainian-Australian pianist, performance-maker and cultural leader working at the forefront of classical and contemporary art music.

Renowned for her bold and daring collaborations across theatre, dance, film, visual art and spoken word, she creates interdisciplinary performance works that reimagine the possibilities of concert music and the piano recital for the 21st century. Lauded for her "miraculous keyboard technique and musicianship" (Woodstock Times), Sonya combines virtuosic pianism with an expansive artistic vision that places art music in dialogue with broader cultural, social and political questions.

Sonya has performed at many of the world's leading festivals and venues, including the Barbican Centre (London), the Venice Biennale (Italy), De Doelen (Rotterdam), Bargemusic (New York), and the Detroit Institute of Arts (USA), as well as Australia's major festivals, including Adelaide Festival, Sydney Festival, Melbourne Festival, Brisbane Festival, Canberra International Music Festival, Darwin Festival, MONA FOMA, Four Winds, Ten Days on the Island, Metropolis and Extended Play. Alongside her solo career, she has collaborated with many of Australia's most celebrated artists, including video artist Angelica Mesiti, composer Max Lyandvert, choreographer Rafael Bonachela and the Sydney Dance Company, dancer-choreographer Martin del Amo, performance artist Christine Johnston, and interactive media artist Tim Gruchy.

A fierce advocate for new Australian music, Sonya has commissioned and premiered works by many of Australia's leading composers, including Kate Neal, Robert Davidson, Damian Barbeler, Alice Chance, Andrew Schultz, Jessica Wells, Felicity Wilcox, Anthony Lyons, Larry Sitsky, Bree van Reyk and Steve Adam. Her boundary-pushing projects Canzone, Stalin's Piano, So Much Myself: Piano Portraits, Crumb's Lyre and Duet for One have been recognised nationally and internationally for their innovation and artistic ambition. In 2024, Sonya received the Australian Women in Music Award for Excellence in Classical Music for her outstanding contribution to Australian musical culture.

Sonya has been featured on ABC and SBS television, on ABC Classic's Legends, Duet, Festival of Female Composers, New Waves, and ABC Radio National's The Music Show. A Fulbright Scholar, she studied with the legendary pianist-conductor Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory of Music (Johns Hopkins University, USA), and holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne. She is Head of Music Creative Practice at UNSW, where she develops innovative interdisciplinary teaching models and mentors the next generation of artists.

Damian Barbeler - Composer / Multimedia

Damian Barbeler is an award-winning composer and multimedia artist recognised for his inventive nature-inspired creations. His work combines music with visuals, sculpture, theatre and interactive electronics to create immersive performance experiences. His compositions and multimedia works have appeared at major festivals throughout Australia including Vivid, MOFO, Four Winds Festival, Canberra International Music Festival, Brisbane Festival and the Tasmanian International Arts Festival. He has twice received the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers 'Recommended Work' award and was awarded the Ian Potter Emerging Composer Fellowship. Damian is a Lecturer in Composition and Music Technologies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, and Creative Producer for Sydney experimental music collective Backstage Music.