About Me
The Sunwrae Ensemble was founded during 2001 in Melbourne Australia. Showcasing some of Australia's finest versatile musicians, the unqiue and flexible line-up includes piano, vibraphone, string quartet, harp, clarinets, alto
flute, lap-steel guitar, double bass, drum-set and percussion.Dubbed as one of the world's premier nu chamber groups, the ensemble specialises in performing an original and accessible style of minimalist music, composed by Rae Howell, artistically fusing improvisation with elaborate rhythms and textures. Featuring a repertoire of solo works to large ensemble arrangements, Howell's compositions are a lush blend of melodic phrases and spectacular interweaving rhythms.Album releases include called Never Stops to Wait (2005), funded by Arts Victoria and the Australia Council, and several Live CDs & DVDs from the Eavesdropping Concert & Exhibition Series ~an annual touring series of contemporary music recitals run in conjunction with visual art exhibitions. Recorded live at St Stephen's Church, Richmond Victoria Australia, the Live Eavesdropping Album is distributed by MGM Australia. Festival appearances by the nu chamber group also include Apollo Bay Festival (VIC), SxSW Festival (Austin TX) and Golden Plains Festival (VIC) at the Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre in Australia.Artistic Director and leader of the Sunwrae Ensemble, Rae Howell, is an Australian freelance musician; composer and performer on piano & vibraphone. A graduate of Melbourne University's Conservatorium, Howell performs as a guest multi-instrumentalist (also on trumpet, mellophone, melodica & vocals), crossing a vast range of musical genres in live performance, recording and international touring. In addition to the Sunwrae Ensemble, Howell composes and performs live for an Australian Puppet Theatre Company Peepshow Inc, Improvised Dance Ensemble State of Flux, and numerous project-based film and mixed-media ventures. A finalist in the 2006 APRA Professional Development Awards Howell is a represented composer of Cantilena Music in London, UK.Howell’s international collaborations include commissions from the ARENA International Theatre Festival in Germany, and has been Musician in Residence at The Banff Centre in Alberta Canada, and The Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida USA. She has worked with Jazz Hall of Fame musician Sam Rivers (USA), Royal Society of Arts Fellow and composer/percussionist Eugene Skeef (Sth Africa/UK) and works currently with electronic recording engineer Jon Cohrs (NY, USA), in 'Rabbits without Spleens'.More info: http://www.sunwrae.com
