Keyna Wilkins, Byron Mark + Saoirse Prince – Thursday, 1st of February 2024:
8.30 pm: SAOIRSE PRINCE:
Saoirse is a young newcomer to the Sydney music scene and performs her solo piano compositions and improvisations exploring moods, emotions, and atmospheres. Classically trained, she has recorded her debut album soon to be released.
9.00 pm: KEYNA WILKINS:
“A powerhouse player” – JAZZ JOURNAL UK
“Particularly fine nuanced playing throughout” – LIMELIGHT MAGAZINE
“Creating soundtracks for the biggest issues of our time”– JAZZ IN EUROPE
Keyna Wilkins is a pioneering Australian/British composer-musician. She was one of three finalists for the Australian Art Music Awards for Individual Excellence in 2021 and 2018 (APRA/AMCOS). As an innovative soloist, her solo show explores stream-of-consciousness improvisations alongside her composed pieces, often using a loop pedal and visual projections and inspired by contemporary human rights issues, astronomical phenomena, and thoughts. She has collaborated with six detained refugees from their prison cells via Zoom, victims of Australia’s brutal mandatory refugee detention laws for nine years, on various music, poetry, and art collaborations. She has performed her solo shows around the USA and Australia Studio Z Minnesota, Churches Des Artistes New York, Phoenix Central Park, MONA, Sydney Women’s International Jazz Festival, Australian Flute Festival, and many others She has released 4 solo albums on piano and flute and 5 ensemble albums. Her works are published by Wirripang and performed internationally. While classically trained in the UK, Germany, and Sydney Conservatorium, she has branched into jazz, flamenco, and live theatre. She has studied intuitive conceptual improvisation with Tibetan Buddhist musician Tenzin Cheogyal.
10 pm: BYRON MARK:
“Byron’s piano tinkles, trills and rollicks along; mellifluous, even while exploring jazz & flamenco motifs” – SYKE OFF STAGE
“The performers’ exuberance was infectious” – CLASSICKON
“The ebullience of Byron Mark when conducting and in performance mode on stage was remarkable” – FINE MUSIC MAGAZINE
Byron is an acclaimed pianist, percussionist, and composer, with 20 years of live performance experience in Australia, and internationally. His latest album ‘Odyssey’ received an ARIA nomination for Best World Music Album in 2023, and his debut solo release ‘Amalgamation’ earned him the top 5 in Australia for Instrumental Composition at the Australian Independent Music Awards. His depth of knowledge in many musical styles allows him to collaborate with various artists of varying genres; spanning jazz and flamenco, to funk and pop. For this Foundry concert, Byron will perform a selection of music from both of these albums on solo piano and hand percussion. Recently, he has been touring all around Australia with flamenco guitarist Paco Lara, so this solo concert for Byron is a very special and rare event – so don’t miss out!
