Speculations on a Chinese Australian sonic history

Presented within the oldest continuous Chinese settlement outside of Asia, The Ninth Tone speculates on the legacy of Chinese Music outside of China since the 1800s. First conceived by Leung in 2022, this iterative project uses intonation, materiality, memory, and echo in a hauntological reimagining of Chinese Australian music.

This project problematizes simplistic dominant cultural understandings of ‘east meets west’ that ignore significant historic lineages. Chinese culture and music has been present in Australia for almost 200 years, and cross-cultural collaboration is almost as old. The Ninth Tone offers an alternative answer to the question of what Chinese Australian music is and can be.

Concept / Composer / Performer: Jasmin Wing-Yin Leung

Artistic Collaborator / Sound Artist / Performer: Sally Ann McIntyre

Performer: Mindy Meng Wang

Performer: Kaylie Melville

Producer: Chelsea Byrne

Produced by Speak Percussion

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. This project is supported by the City of Melbourne and the APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund.

Image credit: Campbell Walker

Venue Accessibility:

Accessible public transport
Accessible toilets
Doors wide enough to cater to people in wheelchairs (1100mm+)
Lift with audio announcements
Quiet areas or spaces
Well-lit at night
Wheelchair access (full space)