Music Mentors at SA Festivals

MusicNT is delighted to announce that four Central Australian acts, who have been heavily involved in the Desert Divas, Sista Sounds and Bush Bands programs, will be performing at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and at WOMADelaide in South Australia.

Edi Donald, Jacinta Price, Cassandra Williams and Tjintu Desert Band will head to South Australia to share their music with Fringe and WOMADelaide audiences. The festivals are two of Australia’s largest and most diverse music and arts events and MusicNT is pleased that musicians who have supported music development opportunities will be representing the NT.

Edi Donald, Jacinta Price and Cassandra Williams have all been involved in MusicNT’s Indigenous women’s program, and through mentoring, workshop delivery and successful individual music careers they have become strong role models and advocates for women’s music in the Territory. Jacinta was one of the first musicians to mentor for the Desert Divas program, a MusicNT initiative that has worked with more than 100 Indigenous female performers across the Territory over the past 5 years. Cassandra has been an invaluable assistant mentor for the program, and Edi plays a huge role in the delivery of Sista Sounds workshops in remote communities throughout Central Desert region.

Tjintu Desert Band attended MusicNT’s Bush Bands Business program in 2008 (as Sunshine Reggae Band), where they learned valuable skills to prepare them for a professional music career. Since then they have gone on to receive award nominations for their new album Tjamuku Ngurra (2014) and showcase at music conferences and festivals across Australia. Tjintu Desert Band member Jeffrey Zimran was also a valuable mentor at the 2013 Bush Bands Business skills development camp and supported musicians in preparing for the Bush Bands Bash.

MusicNT wishes Edi, Jacinta, Cassandra and Tjintu Desert Band all the best in Adelaide and thanks them for their ongoing support of music development programs in the Territory.

Event Details:

• Edi Donald and the Transients: Nexus Cabaret on Feb 14 and 15.
• Cassandra Williams: The Garden of Unearthly Delights on Feb 22.
• Tjintu Desert Band: WOMADelaide Festival Mar 6-9
• Jacinta Price: The Garden of Unearthly Delights on Mar 14 and 15.

Tickets available at the Adelaide Fringe Festival website: www.adelaidefringe.com.au
Or at the WOMADelaide website: www.womadelaide.com.au

The 2015 Bush Bands, Sista Sounds and Desert Divas programs will be launching in March.