CHAMBER OBSCURA
ABOUT CHAMBER OBSCURA
Melbourne-based ensemble Chamber Obscura is the culmination of years of collective tango passion.
Featuring Violin, Piano, Guitar, Double Bass and Accordion, Chamber Obscura bring their eclectic experience in world music to give a fresh approach to Astor Piazzolla tango works, alongside performing original tango compositions.
Chamber Obscura's breadth includes flamenco and afro-cuban styles, combining classical skill with virtuosic improvisation. Working as a chamber ensemble these four talented musicians interpret and bring new light to classic compositions in their vibrant and dynamic live performances.
GROUP BIOS
MAX WALKER
Guitar
Max Walker has embraced a diverse range of guitar styles with early studies devoted to the electric guitar and jazz/rock fusion. He has fostered a passion for improvised music and is inspired by the sonic malleability of the instrument, continuing to explore traditional and contemporary approaches to electric and acoustic instruments and their roles in ensembles.
In 2005 he completed a Bachelor of Music Performance (Improvisation) at the Victorian College of the Arts and returned in 2009 to study Honours, specialising in flamenco guitar. He has since toured and performed in a number of ensembles spanning genres such as jazz, rock, reggae, flamenco, tango and avant-garde improvisation. He has travelled to Spain to study with leading Flamenco musicians, completing a course at Taller Flamenco, Seville, where he was immersed in the flamenco community and gained unique first hand experience of the music and culture. Max continues to work as an in-demand recording guitarist and possesses an extensive knowledge of solo and ensemble repertoire across wide ranging idioms.
SOPHIE DUNN
Violin
Sophie Dunn studied classical violin at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, and for the last twenty years has worked with a diverse range of artists across many different musical styles. Sophie has performed with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, including their 2013-14 tour of the People’s Republic of China. She was a core member of the School of Hard Knocks Street Requiem String Quartet, performing at Melbourne Recital Centre for the 2014 Street Requiem world premiere. She has performed with contemporary classical Arcko Symphonic ensemble, including their 2015 live-to-air performance at Iwaki Auditorium, and with renowned jazz musician Adam Simmons on his live recording Travelling Tales.
Sophie has been a guest player with several contemporary ensembles, including the Blue Grassy Knoll Silent Film Orchestra's 2014 performance of Buster Keaton’s The General at MRC. She played live-to-air with Bush Gothic for the 2015 Melbourne Festival, and has played with Tek Tek Ensemble and The Bombay Royale.
Sophie played with mariachi band Los Romanticos for over ten years and is a member of Andy Baylor’s Banksia Band, whose latest album The Old Southern Line featured on PBS' Album of the Week. In 2018 her bluegrass band Devil Goat Family String Band won the Brunswick Music Festival’s People’s Choice Award and released the album Peace, Love and Goats. During Covid, Sophie held a residency with the flamenco trio Candela Flamenca at Melbourne's famous Kanela Bar, with guitarist Max Walker and dancer Caterina Pizzati.
SUZANNE ANDREWS
Piano
Suzanne's musical passions encompass the worlds of classical, latin, roots and jazz, all these influences merging in the tango nuevo style. She studied classical piano with Glenn Riddle at the University of Melbourne and remains a sought-after Melbourne accompanist, having commenced her accompanying experience aged 15. Suzanne has performed in recent years in Trio Moirae, featuring cellist Jasmine Alexandra and violinist Samantha Jorgensen. The Trio’s repertoire includes works by Mendelssohn, Schubert, Rachmaninov, Debussy and Piazzolla.
Suzanne has many years performing experience in the Latin music scene, including the dance styles of Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, Bachata and Reggaeton. She has performed with bands La Mezcla, Perle Conche, Cacique, Orquesta LA 45 and Peligro at festivals both in Melbourne and country Victoria, in the Australia-wide competition Clave contra Clave and at venues including The Palace and Deakin Edge.
Additional artist collaborations include Melbourne rock outfit The Deans, Afro reggae outfit Jaspora, and a tango nuevo and coro music project with bassist Howard Cairns and flautist/saxophonist Kristen Perry. She has also performed at Wangaratta, Castlemaine and Hall’s gap jazz festivals.
PHIL MCLEOD
Double Bass, Accordion
Phil is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer and teacher. He has toured the world playing with his band Blue Grassy Knoll and their live soundtracks to Buster Keaton films. He has also played double bass with the Spaghetti Western Orchestra and Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen, cello with Missy Higgins and Snuff Puppets, accordion with Russian Criminal band Vulgargrad and Irish Cabaret singer Camille O'Sullivan. He has composed music for The State Orchestra of Victoria, ABC Radio, Snuff Puppets and Red Stitch Theatre. He works regularly with The Mighty Buzzniks and has been the resident musician for the Edinburgh, Sydney and Melbourne seasons of the Famous Spiegeltent’s La Clique. He has recorded and contributed to many CD’s and movie soundtracks including Australian films Animal Kingdom and Noise. He holds a tertiary music teaching position at Melbourne Polytechnic (formerly N.M.I.T.) in Melbourne, Australia, where he teaches arranging, music technology, composition, advanced Jazz theory and instrumental performance.
CONTACT
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Chamber Obscura, including upcoming performances don't hesitate to contact us:
