About
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation is a series of events featuring improvisational music and cross-artform performance led by Duré Dara, Speak Percussion and friends. Structured as a series of menus, featuring never to be repeated ‘courses’ of percussion, performance, discussion and food, Duré and collaborators will encourage you to pause, listen, eat, reminisce, reflect, celebrate, critique and daydream about the past, present and future of experimental music, the restaurant business and social inclusion.
Image credit: Darren Gill
Upcoming
Past
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #11: East Gippsland Concert
Edition No. 11 of the Percussion, Conversation, Degustation series saw the artists of Speak Percussion, Duré Dara and Kaylie Melville, deliver a multi-sensory and cross-artform experience combining improvised music, storytelling, and local food bites. Students from Bairnsdale Secondary College took part in the event, and local artist Deirdre Jack painted live in response to the musical performance.
Performers: Duré Dara, Kaylie Melville, Students from Bairnsdale Secondary College, Deirde Jack (Live Painting)
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #10: Neighbourhood Noise - Next Wave Festival & Brunswick Music Festival
Speak Percussion artists led participants through an interactive workshop, followed by a performance and lively conversation between Duré Dara and Matisse Laida. This was an accessible event and no music experience was required. Everyone was encouraged to bring their own instruments or an object that makes interesting sounds to participate in the workshop.
Neighbourhood Noise is component of the Brunswick Music Festival where the community is invited to actively participate in “hands-on visual art and music-making workshops”.
Percussion Conversation Degustation #7, #8 and #9: Sounds Unheard
In April 2024, Duré and Kaylie were invited to lead a series of Percussion Conversation Degustation workshops at Arts Centre Melbourne and then Darebin Arts Centre.
It was an opportunity for Duré to share stories about establishing the first restaurant at the Arts Centre with groups of young people.
Food: CC Wok
Images: Darren Gill
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #6: Food for Thought
Food for Thought invited six musicians to create spontaneous compositions responding to aphorisms that have inspired Duré’s life as a creator and advocator.
The short performances were served alongside chickpeas fried with desiccated coconut and spices.
Performers: Callum G’Froerer, Jasmin Wing-Yin Leung, Biddy Connor, Dale Gorfinkel, Alexander Meagher and Zela Papageorgiou
Lighting Operator: John Collopy
Sound Operator: Michael Hewes
Images: Darren Gill
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #5: Sounds Unheard
In this Sounds Unheard improvisation workshop, secondary students heard from Duré Dara about her fascinating career playing improvised music for more than 50 years. They played; they talked about being a young artist; they ate Rocky Road.
Duré and Speak’s Assistant Artistic Director Kaylie Melville led the group through a number of guided and free improvisations, providing opportunities for students to play and explore their creativity together in a supportive environment.
Images: Darren Gill
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #4: Pot Luck
A celebration of fifty years of improvised music, friendship and sustained community. Featuring musicians spanning the breadth of Duré’s musical life.
Performers: Carolyn Connors, Ren Walters, Tina Stefanou, Scott McConnachie, Joseph Franklin and Duré Dara
Food: Pot Luck
Lighting Operation: John Collopy
Sound Operation: Michael Hewes
Images: Darren Gill
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #3: Taster #2
Join Duré as she shares morsels of stories, anecdotes, musings, food and improvised performance.
Performers: Rosalind Crisp, Andrew Morrish and Duré Dara
Lighting Operation: John Collopy
Sound Operation: Michael Hewes
Food: CC Wok and Jour
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #2: Before Nightfall #16
Before Nightfall is a series of encounters between Speak Percussion and a featured artist. Working with Duré intensively across one day, these sonic investigations will culminate in an intimate live performance at nightfall.
Performers: Eugene Ughetti, Kaylie Melville and Duré Dara
Food: CC Wok and Just Falafs
Lighting Operation: John Collopy
Sound Operation: Michael Hewes
Images: Darren Gill
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation #1: Taster
Between tastings of different culinary delights, there will be a ‘menu’ of spontaneous performances”percussion, dance and conversation.
Performers: Rosalind Crisp, Andrew Morrish and Duré Dara
Food: Long Paddock
Servers: Ashley Dyer, Jo Moulton
Images: Lisa Roberts
Artists
Percussion, Conversation, Degustation would not have been possible without the support of the following people and organisations.
Australia Council for the Arts
Creative Victoria
City of Melbourne
Partners
