WOMAD

Mark Atkins

From Australia

Mark Atkins has proved himself to be a mesmerising master storyteller - in addition to being Australia's finest and most internationally recognised didgeridoo player, collaborating with some of the world's leading composers and musicians, from Philip Glass and Peter Sculthorpe to John Williamson, Sinead O'Connor and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. A descendent of Western Australia's Yamitji people, as well as of Irish/Australian heritage, Atkins draws on his rich background for an eclectic mix of original compositions featuring didgeridoo, guitar and harmonica. As a soloist and ensemble player, he has incorporated the primal pulse of didgeridoo into orchestral works with the London Philharmonic and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, theatrical and dance presentations, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games opening ceremonies. He founded cross-cultural groups Kooriwadjula (black man/white man) and Anakala, and performed with the Black Arm Band Murundak. A poignant film documentary about Mark's life and work, Yamatji Man: Geraldton 6350 via New York, was screened on SBS in 2003. Now, for the first time in a career spanning 30 years, Atkins is performing a solo concert, Grungada: A Journey of Music and Song, commissioned for the Melbourne International Arts Festival in 2007. Grungada is presented in the style of a chat around a campfire, not only showcasing Mark's extraordinary didj skills, but also his rich sense of humour.

Mark Atkins's » Myspace Page