The Pure Poetry project marked its tenth birthday in 2013. To celebrate, project founder, artistic director, poet and concert pianist, Bronwyn Blaiklock, commissioned the creative development of cross-discipline works by Terence Jaensch (poet, Castlemaine), Amadis Lacheta (composer, Metcalf), Scott Sanders (composer, Castlemaine), herself and special guest Ann Carr-Boyd (composer, Sydney). Supported by funding from Arts Victoria and the Ballarat City Council, the 2013 Pure Poetry project produced and presented four new performance works that both draw on and extend the Australian literature and classical music repertoire.

The premiere performance was given to a full house at the Art Gallery of Ballarat in November 2013. Also in the program were works by contemporary Australian composers and poetry from previous projects, including the New South Wales Riverina and regional Victoria.

The return of Ann Carr-Boyd to the anniversary project was a highlight. Ann worked with Bronwyn to write a piece for soprano, cello and piano specially for the project. Based on life in the Victorian gold rush, Song of the Goldfields was premiered alongside other collaborative pieces, Mine by poet Terry Jaensch and composer Scott Sanders, and Absence by Bronwyn and composer Amadis Lacheta. Amadis also penned a second piece, Lullaby for Grace, a stirring vocalise quartet. 

A stellar line-up of exciting musicians made the recital a memorable one, with performances by soprano Judith Dodsworth, clarinettist Samantha Kelson Gray, pianist Leigh Harrold and cellist Lachlan Dent.

 

Pure Poetry Anthology

To commemorate the project’s tenth anniversary, a limited edition anthology was created to capture all poetry performed in the recital. Beautifully designed by Celtink Creative, the booklet also includes biographies of all artists involved in the 2013 program, and insight into their work.