Unbound by Backstage Music

Unbound

31 Oct 7.30 PM East Sydney Community and Arts Centre

Curated by Ria Andriani and Lamorna Nightingale

When we talk about music, we often focus on sound. But for many artists, the journey to creating music is a visceral exploration of the body, lived experience, and the world of barriers—both seen and unseen. Unbound is a concert that redefines what it means to be a musician, celebrating those who turn access challenges into a creative force.

Inspired by the concept of the social model of disability, Unbound challenges the notion that individuals are "impaired." Instead, it highlights how societal barriers are the true source of disability. For some, like Sonnet Curé, who has unilateral hearing loss, music is a journey of finding confidence and reclaiming moments of social awkwardness. Her work, Plastik, transforms the crunch of a lolly wrapper—an often awkward sound in a concert hall—into a moment of lovely, deliberate art.

For others, like singer-songwriter Melanie Eden, music is a powerful form of harm reduction. Her piece, No One To Be, explores the complex, ambiguous grief of living with inter-generational trauma and autism, turning her personal journey into raw, open, and healing art.

The program also features innovative collaborations that bridge the gap between technology and bodily movement. Percussionist and inventor Dr. Alon Ilsar, for example, shares his Airsticks—wearable devices that transform movement into sound—with Oliver House, a wheelchair dancer. In this collaboration Alon will respond to Oliver’s movement to pre-agreed set of cues.

Also included in the program is Ria Andriani performing Molly Joyce’s song-cycle Form with Ensemble Offspring. Joyce is a US-based composer who acquired a physical disability after being involved in a car accident. Conform and Reform underscore the tension between what is perceived as physical or sensory impairment and what some might think is a diverse kind of normal.

Unbound shows that when barriers are removed, artists with disabilities are boundless in their creativity, talent, and virtuosity. This concert is an invitation to witness the visceral joy and grief that music can bring when we open our spaces, and our minds, to these incredible artistic forces.