Invisible Connection online concert trailer ©Bowerbird Collective

Event title:

Invisible Connections – A WMBD social media concert event

Organizer:

The Bowebird Collective & Bird Conservation Society of Thailand (BCST)

Participants:

Participants engaged in online social media event (more than 1000 viewers and 2000 views)

Outcome:

A 17-minute online performance celebrating World Migratory Bird Day led thousands of online engagements and significant network-building for the Bowerbird Collective. The event was held on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/events/840283016467988/) and Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDotxnJ7bBI).

Summary:

Invisible Connections, a 17-minute performance piece created by Simone Slattery and Anthony Albrecht, was premiered on Saturday, May 9, World Migratory Bird Day. The work was streamed to an international audience via social media and YouTube in partnership with the Bird Conservation Society of Thailand and the EAAFP. Invisible Connections was recorded and produced in isolation on King Island in the Bass Straight, where Simone and Anthony were generously hosted during the Covid-19 crisis.

The work included footage sourced from numerous, outstanding shorebird researchers and photographers from around the EAAF, including Paul Bell, Eugene Cheah, Shiloh Schulte (Manomet/USFWS), Andrew Silcocks, Smith Sutibut, Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang, Reuben Van Weeren, Dan Weller and Randall Wood.

Simone and Anthony performed the following musical works:
Invisible Connections – Simone Slattery (2020) Opening – Philip Glass (1981) Concerto for Violin, Strings and B.C. in B flat major RV 372a, Andante – Vivaldi (c.1740) The Godwit and Curlew – Simone Slattery (2020)

The title ‘Invisible Connections’ was used with permission from Jan van de Kam, Theunis Piersma and colleagues, inspired by their book published in 2010 by CSIRO Australia. During the performance, the audience is taken on an evocative visual journey, with quotes from the book and other sources making the experience simultaneously informative and moving.

Simone and Anthony’s are two of Australia’s most renowned young classical musicians, and have developed a reputation as creators of highly engaging, emotive work, in particular their adaptation of ‘Where Song Began’, the book by Tim Low, telling the story of the evolution of songbirds. This has seen the duo perform more than 60 times around Australia and internationally, demonstrating a particular passion for connecting with regional audiences. Known as ‘The Bowerbird Collective’, Simone and Anthony are thrilled to have developed strong relationships with conservation groups such as BirdLife International, BirdLife Australia and the EAAFP. Together, they hope to create wonderful community engagement opportunities that will have great outcomes for birds. ‘Where Song Began’ is available to view at www.wheresongbegan.com.

‘Invisible Connections’ was produced as a preview of the 60-minute live show that Simone and Anthony plan to tour extensively in 2021 and beyond as an effort to raise awareness and contribute to the conservation of migratory shorebirds along the EAAF.

Invisible Connection online concert video ©Bowerbird Collective