The two major works on this programme have been inspired by distinct Indigenous cultures: the language of the Palawa people of lutruwita / Tasmania, and the music of the Orang Sungai people of Sabah, Malaysia. Both works begin with a river.

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timtumili minanya 

Written as one continuous movement, timtumili minanya is a new work for concert band by Aboriginal composer, James Henry. Commissioned by the DVCB and based on palawa kani verses by Pakana woman, Theresa Sainty, the piece traces the course of the Derwent River from its source in the high mountain country in the west (withikitha milaythina), flowing on through wulawili / New Norfolk where it first encounters the saltwater from the east brought in by the tides, then down to and beyond kunanyi ‘standing strong behind nipaluna’/ Hobart, to eventually make its way out to the sea. 

The Pengertian Suite

The Pengertian Suite is a collection of songs by Mia Palencia that tells a modern-day immigrant story. The Malay word ‘pengertian’ (pung-er-tee-yahn) translates to ‘meaning’ or ‘understanding’. As a Tasmanian resident for many years, Palencia found herself looking to her Sabahan heritage and family stories to find a sense of belonging in her music. The suite is heavily inspired by the titikas, a form of improvised music belonging to the Orang Sungai (which translates to ‘river people’), a group of indigenous people who lived along the rivers of Sabah. The Pengertian Suite comprises five songs (or movements) and was arranged for the Derwent Valley Concert Band by Mark Buys.