Kutcha Edwards to Perform ‘Warta – Kiki’ with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra

May 12, 2023

Songwriter and Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta, Nari Nari man Kutcha Edwards is teaming up with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra for Warta – Kiki, a live performance centred on Edwards’ original songs and featuring orchestral arrangements. The performance will take place at Melbourne Recital Centre on Sunday, 18th June.

The show title, Warta – Kiki, is taken from the Mutti Mutti language expression meaning “come together”. In a statement, Edwards spoke of his excitement to connect with the MYO on this live performance. “It has been a dream of mine to have some of my catalogue arranged for a performance with a symphony orchestra,” he said.

Kutcha Edwards – ‘Singing Up Country’

Kutcha Edwards is a Stolen Generations survivor who began his music career in the early 1990s. He was a member of the Koori group Watbalimba and the Melbourne/Naarm-based Blackfire. Blackfire broke up in 1999 and Edwards transitioned into a solo career. He released the solo albums Cooinda and Hope in 2002 and 2007 respectively, the former of which was a collaboration with Paul Kelly and Crowded House’s Paul Hester.

Edwards made a significant impression with his third solo LP, 2012’s Blak & Blu, which featured guest appearances from Dan Sultan and Rebecca Barnard. Edwards’ most recent release is 2021’s Circling Time – the album’s brilliantly moving opening track, ‘Singing Up Country’, is nominated for the 2023 Environmental Music Prize.

Warta – Kiki will provide a wide-ranging exposition of Edwards’ life’s work, which began in the Riverina town of Balranald and has included several tours of Australia as well as performances overseas.

“I have been working with youth most of my life and feel the union will be interesting both for myself and the orchestra,” Edwards said of the collaboration with Melbourne Youth Orchestra. “We’re learning from each other about collaboration and protocols.”