William Barton
William Barton is one of Australia’s leading didgeridoo players and composers. He is a powerful advocate for the wider perception of his cultural traditions. Born in Mount Isa, he was taught the didgeridoo by his uncle, an elder of the Waanyi, Lardil and Kalkadunga tribes of western Queensland. At 17 years, Willie played his first classical concert with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
William has collaborated with Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe, Sean O'Boyle, Ross Edwards, Philip Bracanin and George Warren from the USA.
Through such collaborations and projects, William Barton aims to present the virtuosic potential of his instrument and richness of his Australian culture to audiences throughout the world. He hopes they will see this music, not just as an illustration of some exotic antiquity, but as a living, dynamic process, requiring considerable technique, stamina and study, equal to that of any conventional classically trained professional musician.
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