Speak Percussion Explained

Background:	group_or_band
Speak Percussion
Origin:	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Years Active:	<–present
Current Members:	Eugene Ughetti
Past Members:	Minako Okamoto Justin Marshall Rory McDougall Harry Arvanitis

Speak Percussion are an Australian percussion ensemble led by artistic director Eugene Ughetti.^[1]

The original five members, including Ughetti, came together in 1999, to join a recital by Minako Okamoto while they were undergraduate students at Victorian College of the Arts. The following year, they formed Speak Percussion and made their debut at Musica Viva's Ménage music nights at Chapel off Chapel.^[2] Later that year the line-up of Okamoto, Ughetti, Justin Marshall and Rory McDougall performed Fritz Hauser's Double Exposition.^[3]

In 2002, the group split up due to financial and creative strain, with Ughetti the only one wishing to continue. Since then they have operated as a collective, with an ever-changing lineup.

Since forming, they have collaborated with Oren Ambarchi, Anthony Pateras, Jon Rose, Ethel, and glass artist Elaine Miles.^[4] ^[5] ^[6]

In 2018, Norwegian record label Sofa released Before Nightfall One, an album with Speak Percussion and Ingar Zach. This was followed by Percussion Works, an album with Thomas Meadowcroft released on Mode Records in 2020.

They have been nominated at the APRA's Art Music Awards each year from 2011 to 2017 and 2019–2021, and have won five awards between 2015 and 2021.

In 2021 Kaylie Melville became Speak Percussion's assistant Artistic Director https://speakpercussion.com/new-assistant-artistic-director-kaylie-melville/

Members

Credits:^[7]

Eugene Ughetti – maracas, percussion, xylophone
Minako Okomoto – glockenspiel (2000, 2002)
Justin Marshall – vibraphone (2000-2002)
Rory McDougall – marimba (2000,2002)
Harry Arvanitis – (2002)
Ashley Hribar – prepared piano (2005)
Peter Neville – tom-toms, wood-blocks, pod rattle (2005)
Timothy Phillips – tom-toms, wood-blocks, pod rattle (2005)

Discography

Speak Percussion @ BMW Edge (live video album, 2005) – Contemporary Arts Media
2015 Sleepwalker’s Conviction, Oren Ambarchi featuring Speak Percussion (Black Truffle)
2018 Before Nightfall One, Speak Percussion with Ingar Zach (Sofa)
2020 Percussion Works, Speak Percussion with Thomas Meadowcroft (Mode Records)

Awards

2012 Melbourne Fringe Festival Award, Best Music
2014 Green Room Award, Fluvial^[8]
2015 APRA Art Music Award, Victorian State Award for Excellence by and Organisation
2016 APRA Art Music Award, Excellence in Experimental Music
2017 APRA Art Music Award, Excellence by an Organisation
2019 APRA Art Music Award, Performance of the Year
2021 APRA Art Music Award, Luminary Award: Organisation (National)

External links

Notes and References

Web site: Byrnes. Tim. Fluorophone Are Playing To The Beat. 2022-02-18. scenestr - Pop Culture & Entertainment. en-gb.
Web site: 10 years of 'speaking percussion' : Feature Article : Australian Music Centre. 2022-02-18. www.australianmusiccentre.com.au.
News: Program Neglects the Concert Art of Compromise . Crotty, Joel . . 15 December 2000 . National Library of Australia . https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020225104946/http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/2000/12/15/FFXWTENAPGC.html . 25 February 2002 . 11 August 2022 .
Web site: 2015-02-02. Ghan stories. 2022-02-18. Radio National. en-AU.
News: Fonseca-Wollheim. Corinna da. 2013-03-31. Echoes of Languages No Longer Heard. en-US. The New York Times. 2022-02-18. 0362-4331.
Web site: RealTime Arts – Magazine – Special Feature – Speak Percussion. 2022-02-18. www.realtimearts.net.
Dialects of music & image . Gallasch, Keith . RealTime Arts Magazine . 49 . June–July 2002 . 5 . National Library of Australia . https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20091030022802/http://rt.airstrip.com.au/article/issue49/6753 . 30 October 2009 . 11 August 2022 .
Web site: Green Room Award Recipients 2015 Stage Whispers. 2022-02-18. www.stagewhispers.com.au.