Liquid Notes: The Making of the Reef (2012)

'Liquid Notes' follows Artistic Director, Richard Tognetti, in his latest project taking musicians, surfers and cinematographers to the rugged surf coast and tough desert landscape of northern Western Australia, to create a new performance piece for the ACO called The Reef. Hoping to challenge a common stereotypical take on classical music, Tognetti states, "You think of the opera and you think of indulgence and elitism, I'd just like to get a detonator and dynamite, and blow those perceptions sky high." The mix of artists contributing to the project includes didgeridoo musician Mark Atkins, singer/songwriter Steve Pigram, composer Ian Grandage, cinematographer Jon Frank and finless surfer Derek Hynd. "Unless you try to evolve and push yourself and others, I think you're rotting." says Tognetti. "We don't know what the main purpose is, other than to take people out of their and our comfort zones." 'Liquid Notes - The Making of The Reef' follows the process of creative exploration and collaboration, which grows out of an initially loosely defined, creative premise.