At a time when migration and immigration serve as the globe’s biggest platform for conflict, Vangelis Loulis’ (Van Louis) Migratorium explores issues of modern and older migration through a unique combination of the spiritual sounds of the Aboriginal didgeridoo and the lamenting sounds and poetry of expatriation (xenitia).

Migratorium will move from Sydney to the National Multicultural Festival in Canberra for two performances, on Saturday 14 February (Stage 1.00-2.00 pm) and on Sunday 15 February (Stage 3.00-3.25 pm).

Migratorium was the only Greek-related musical group in Australia to participate in both the first world arts festival ‘Greece All Over’ and Reconciliation Week 2014, with a live show in Sydney, which also streamed live through radio stations in Australia, Europe and the USA, under the patronage of the Greek Festival of Sydney in 2014. Artistic director and lead vocalist Van Louis says “Migratorium is a project that has been haunting me for years – yet, it took a magical path of unexpected coincidences and opportunities to stage it, life itself had to decide about the right time for this exploration.”

Van Louis (nominated for the MusicOz Australian Singer/Songwriter of the Year Award 2013), creates a musical sensation from the dynamism of western and Greek rock while leading up to a crescendo of enthusiasm in the acceptance and integration in the new land, leading an all-star cast from the fields of music, singing and poetry.

Migratorium is not just a show or just a concert; it is an experience, it is the world we live in but find it so difficult to heartily engage with. Van Louis has once again put together a show that is set to honour the universal language of reconciliation, either racial or cultural. Its theme is based on playwright Sophia Ralli-Catharios’ migration epic poetry 2000 minus 2 exploring the recent migration of Greeks to Australia, a direct result of the GFC. This performance is the contemporary approach to migration, merging multiple cultures in an effort to tell the story of alienation, change, adversity and integration.

While respecting and gratefully acknowledging all of the above, Migratorium incorporates in its musical composition the spiritual sounds of the Aboriginal tradition through the participation in our musical ventures.

This year, Louis welcomes the internationally acclaimed didgeridoo soloist Glen Doyle, the Aboriginal dance group Duncan Smith and the Wiradjuri Echoes and the traditional Greek musicians Dimitri and Kiriaki Koubaroulis (Melisma Ensemble). The artists will, along with accomplished musicians such as electric guitarist Robin Gist (Girl Overboard, Tone Master Productions) and contrabassist Valerios Calocerinos, who will be anchoring and expressing those moments of extreme drama on the double bass (Ionia, This Gentle Flow), sing their bilingual way to reconciliation and integration.

For more information email artistic director Vangelis Loulis at van@vanlouismusic.com or call 0439 366 909.