Renowned Saxophonist Pays Tribute to Local Area - Body and Soul.

Media Release

For Immediate Release

October 31st, 2023.

Renowned Saxophonist Pays Tribute to Local Area – Body and Soul.

Steel City Strings has a proven track record of outstanding commissions from Australian composers and this new work from Nick Russoniello is no exception.

Wollongong-raised saxophonist Nick Russoniello was the perfect fit for the orchestra. A former student of Wollongong Con, Nick has established himself as a highly accomplished and dynamic saxophonist, composer, ensemble leader and educator. Nick has appeared as a soloist or guest musician with many of Australia’s premier arts organisations including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Australian World Orchestra, The Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Ensemble Offspring, Metropolitan Orchestra and the Acacia Quartet.

It’s fitting that Steel City Strings commission Nick for this exciting work “Body and Soul” for saxophone and strings, and bring Nick back to his roots for this performance series in Burrawang, Wollongong and Nowra.

Inspired by the upcoming exhibition at the Shoalhaven Regional Art Gallery – Death Love Art, the orchestra wanted to explore the spark of life with a deep and thoughtful program of works. Nick Russoniello has poured his energies into this new work by moving outside the normal bounds of notes on a page. He leads the musicians of Steel City Strings to expand their expression with body percussion and the breath – an essential element of life itself.

Body and Soul is complemented in this program by other musical compositions of renowned beauty and depth. Pulitzer Prize- Winning composer Caroline Shaw’s Entr’acte is evocative and sensual, and Graeme Koehne’s Shaker Dances: III. Square Order Shuffle, will have the audience’s toes tapping.

An apt program for Steel City Strings to end a successful year of musical adventure, and launch a new program of string works for the 2024 season.

Steel City Strings and Body and Soul are both supported by our generous donors, and the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Body and Soul will be presented at:

Burrawang (World Premiere) Wollongong Nowra

Burrawang School of Arts Wollongong Town Hall Nowra School of ArtsSunday

12th November Saturday 18th November Sunday 19th November

2:00pm – 4:00pm 7:30pm – 9:30pm 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Tickets available at SteelCityStrings.com.au

All information for its 2024 season www.SteelCityStrings.com.au.

**Photos of Nick Russoniello and the Steel City Strings Orchestra are available on request, and interview opportunities are available.

More information about the orchestra, the world premiere, and for comment, contact Nada Jasz [email protected] and 0426 273 685.

END.

ABOUT STEEL CITY STRINGS:

Steel City Strings is a Wollongong-based chamber orchestra of musicians from the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, and Southern Highlands of NSW regions. Since its inception in early 2015 as a not-for-profit incorporated charity, the orchestra has delighted music lovers by presenting fine music from a range of genres in concerts in regional townships across our broader region. Led by Conductor Luke Spicer and Artistic Director Kyle Little, the orchestra provides performing and professional development opportunities for musicians in the South Coast and Southern Highlands as orchestra members, as soloists and as composers. In 2019 they won the APRA Art Music Award for Excellence in a Regional Area and have received the attention of government agencies receiving arts funding from Create NSW and Creative Partnerships Australia. Steel City Strings is supported by tax deductible giving from our donors and by our growing local audience.

Media Contact:
Lyndall Fowler (Executive Officer)
0467 869 478
[email protected]

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