Mara Kiek's expressive and compelling voice evolved in tandem with the discovery and inspiration offered by the many cross-cultural connections and collaborations in her career. For over 40 years, Kiek's ARIA winning band MARA! has been a platform for presenting music of many cultures—particularly those of the Balkans—layered with its members' international credentials in the worlds of jazz, classical, improvised and original music.

Long-term MARA! member and composer Paul Cutlan has composed a cycle of songs, to poems in some of the languages which have helped shape this cross-cultural journey. 'When Music Plays...' traces a narrative of love, the emotive potency of music, fallibility, and the healing power of reflection.  The language of each poem offers a different lens through which to appreciate life and the world—a unique idiom with its own imagery and 'music'. For this project, the MARA! quintet is joined by the emotive beauty of a string quartet, creating a transportive and expressive palette of sound.

Mara Kiek, Lew Kiek, Sandy Evans, Paul Cutlan, Lloyd Swanton
Lisa Pallandi, Riikka Sintonen, Beth Condon, Oliver Miller

Tickets: Free, by ballot only