ABSTRACT
Chapter Three expands the narrative outlining contemporary percussion activity in the 1970s, with an emphasis on comprehensively documenting the activities of Synergy Percussion, Australia’s longest-running contemporary music ensemble. The ensemble’s foundation under the name of The Sydney Percussion in 1974 represents a pivotal event in Australian music history. Their inaugural director Michael Askill is arguably the most important figure in the genesis of Australian contemporary percussion music and his work as a composer and performer continues to influence musicians today. This chapter commences with examination of the historical context that fostered the foundation of the ensemble, leading to discussion of their increasingly virtuosic and influential activities in the 1980s. During this period, Sydney became a hub of contemporary percussion activity, largely due to the presence of Synergy Percussion. Significant events in the 1980s that indicate the ensemble became enmeshed within Australia’s musical cultural fabric are explored together with discussion of the impact of their activities within the international contemporary music scene. The emphasis placed by the ensemble on composer-performer collaboration produced a large body of repertoire that became the foundation of an Australian percussion canon. A brief discussion of collaborations with composers is presented, including examination of their wider influence at a time when Australian’s cultural identity was emerging on an international stage. This is followed by examination of contemporary percussion activity in Sydney beyond Synergy Percussion, with specific emphasis on the output of Graeme Leak.
