Michael Atherton
As a composer, performer and musicologist, Michael Atherton
has made a sustained contribution to Australian music through
a creative output that is not limited to a single genre or style.
Atherton’s creative work began in popular music. He played early
music in the Renaissance Players from 1974-1980, and was a founding
member of the world music group, Sirocco, exploring musical
syncretism through Anglo-Celtic, Balkan and Middle Eastern musics.
Atherton produced landmark recordings for Sirocco and left the
group in 1986 to form Southern Crossings, which focused on cross-cultural
musical expressions and commissioned repertoire.

In 1993 Atherton was appointed Foundation Professor of Music
at the University of Western Sydney where he conceived a new
music department strongly committed to Australian music making.
Since that time, Atherton has also been influential in establishing
a centre for music therapy at UWS, the Golden Stave Music Therapy
Centre. He was foundation Head of the School of Contemporary
Arts (2000-2) and has been Director of Research for the College
of Arts, Education, and Social Sciences since 2003.

Atherton has undertaken significant collaborations with Indigenous
Australian performers including Matthew Doyle, Mark Atkins,
Alan Dargin, Debra Cheetam and Yanawirri Yiparrka. A collaborative
highlight was the completion of a music theatre work, Woman
Dreaming, involving Tiwi people from Bathurst Island, dancers
from Bangarra, musicians and singers from Music Theatre Sydney,
and librettist, John Wregg.

Atherton is also an accomplished composer for the screen for
which he has achieved several nominations. Credits include the
feature film Dogwatch (2000), as well as APRA and Australian
Guild of Screen Composers nominations and awards for the documentaries,
Admission Impossible and Riding the Tiger. His concert music
includes Kamawarah (2001) for orchestra and Indigenous performers;
The Mahogany Ship (1994) for the Sydney Children’s Choir; Exhortation
(1996) for the Contemporary Singers and Synergy (1996); Songs
for Imberombera (1997) for Gondwana Voices; Inside the Storm
(1998) for the Hunter Singers; and Kalliopeia Sopha (2001) for
the Gondwana Voices.

 

Contact Michael