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The Picture Box Orchestra
Alies Sluiter

Venue: Barrio - Adelaide Festival Club, Hajek Plaza
When: Wed 29 Feb 11:00 PM - 11:25 PM
Genre: Music
Main Audience: All Ages
No. in touring party: 11

The Picture Box Orchestra

Music is the language of emotion, which is why it has the power to transcend cultural barriers and momentarily provide humanity with a sense of unity.

Every time an influential leader makes a decision to invade a country, redefine a border, inhabit more land to feed a growing population, people are shifted. We hear about them on the news: the Palestinians, the Afghans, the Australian Aborigines. Briefly, we feel sorry for them, but few of us dwell on it after the news broadcast has come to an end or the advertisement on TV asking us to sponsor a child fades into our favourite program.

The Picture Box Orchestra music concert will take you on a musical journey, each track telling a story from a different place and perspective about recent world events and the people who are forgotten after decisions have been made and signed off on.

The brainchild of composer and violinist Alies Sluiter, The Picture Box Orchestra combines Indian Classical techniques with Jazz, Hip-Hop and Western Classical influences. It is a curious melting pot of musical genres featuring performers from Pakistan, India, Australia and Europe.

Alies Sluiter

Alies’s music and career are not easily defined by genre or category, however she has proven herself as a violinist and composer who has the ability to work alongside the world’s best in contemporary music and composition. Her credits are vast and varied, including composing, arranging, producing and musically directing for feature films, documentaries, television (CNN, BBC, SBS and Foxtel) music, theatre and dance productions.

Alies has worked extensively with a diverse range of Australian and international artists including Nitin Sawhney, Akram Khan, Sylvie Guillem, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Netsayi Chigwendere and The Shaolin Monks of China, performing in many of the world’s leading arts festivals and venues throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas.

She recently completed the electronic/orchestral score to the US feature film Mine Games and is currently writing the second Picture Box Orchestra album.

“Alies’ Picture Box Orchestra is a flawless composition of startling intensity. Its soul-filled performance at the Toff in Melbourne was remarkable - showcasing Alies’ exceptional talent as a composer, producer and violinist with incredible depth and courage. Brilliant.” - Peta Carlyon, ABC (Australia).

Photo: Robert Wallis