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Established in 1997, Brisbane-based Topology are established leaders in musical creativity in Australia, prolific creators of new original work, expert collaborators across genres and art forms and award-winning music educators. With a well-established reputation for their signature work, the quintet experiments with surprising combinations of genres, theatrical staging and cross art form collaboration to create thought-provoking music experiences for audiences of all ages, backgrounds and tastes. Resident Artist at Brisbane Powerhouse for 18 years, Topology has an extensive discography, produced countless evening-length works, presented an award-winning concert series, and toured extensively nationally and internationally.

The founding members of Topology are John Babbage (composer, saxophone), Robert Davidson (composer, bass), Bernard Hoey (composer, viola), Christa Powell (violin) and Kylie Davidson (piano, ’97-’11), with Therese Milanovic (piano) formally joining the ensemble in 2009.

Topology are famous for the breadth and depth of their collaborations. Undaunted by stylistic barriers, the quintet has created stunning new work with partners in theatre (Geoffrey Rush, Neil Armfield, Queensland Theatre Company), classical music (the Brodsky Quartet, the Southern Cross Soloists), contemporary art music (Terry Riley, Speak Percussion), dance (Expressions Dance Company, Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre, Jody Oberfelder), puppetry (Dead Puppet Society), contemporary jazz (Trichotomy, Loops), popular songwriting (Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan), comedy (the Kransky Sisters, Gerry Connolly), Asian music (Dheeraj Shrestha, Ubiet) and indigenous Australian music (William Barton).

Topology have an energetic education program called the Topology Creative Academy (previously known as Top Up), which works closely with schools and emerging composers to create and perform new music. The program has grown exponentially over the years reaching thousands of participants around regional Australia every year.

Festivals and venues featuring Topology include the Ghent Festival of Flanders, Olympics Arts Festival, ISCM World Music Days, Salihara Festival (Jakarta), Singapore Arts Festival, Castlemaine Festival, Brisbane Festival, Darling Harbour Jazz Festival, ­Sydney Spring Festival, Queensland Music Festival, Brisbane International Film Festival, Adelaide Festival, Darwin Festival, Midsumma Festival, Lincoln Center (New York), Extended Play (Sydney) and Flowstate (South Bank, Brisbane).

 

Awards & Nominations

2009 APRA Classical Music Awards – Outstanding Contribution by an Organisation

2014 ARIA Awards – (Nominated) Best Classical Album (Share House)

2015 APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards – Winner for Excellence in Music Education (Top Up)

REVIEWS

Topology are the most creative and important composers of new contemporary classics in Australia today.
ABC Classic FM
A magnificent example in truly adventurous Australian music.
PBS FM
(TEN HANDS) As gorgeous as any recent Philip Glass release.
4ZZZ
This music is not alive, as that would suggest a unity of organism, but they are not separate. There remains an underlying cohesion, an ecology of sound.
M/C REVIEWS
(Ten Hands) … is an incredibly emotional experience. The experimental outlook ultimately serves to heighten the group’s dramatic flair for romance.
THE MUSIC