Symphony is the first in a series of commissions in which a composer/instrumentalist is asked to re-imagine one of Beethoven’s nine symphonies for a solo instrument. Symphony is an exploration of how the language of music can inform the telling of a story. It will be remarkable for the way in which the performers, music and video talk to each other like a finely tuned jazz ensemble. Any of the three elements may take the lead, prompting the other members of the “trio” to reconsider their part in the overall story.

Director: Patrick Nolan
Composer: Stefan Gregory
Designer: Ralph Myers
Performers: Dean Cross, Alexandra Harrison, Amy Macpherson, Alejandro Rolandi

Dean Cross

Dean began his physical training in gymnastics at a young age, then moved into dance in the year 2000 with Quantum Leap’s Industrial Hardware. He performed numerous Quantum Leap productions, as well as creating works for Quantum Leap’s junior projects, whilst also performing in many Cadi McCarthy and Company shows before continuing his education in dance at Queensland University of Technology. Since leaving QUT, Dean has performed nationally and internationally with Legs on the Wall as well as being part of QL2’s SoftLanding project under the direction of Solon Ulbrich. Dean has also spent time working with choreographer
Anton in a Critical Path research residency, among other independent projects in and around Sydney and Canberra. Currently Dean is in rehearsals for Shaun Parker’s new full-length work Happy as Larry which will tour nationally and internationally next year.

Stefan Gregory

Stefan’s theatre composition and sound design credits include: War Of The Roses, Frankenstein and The Magic Flute (workshop) for Sydney Theatre Company; The Call for Griffin Theatre; Hamlet (with Sarah Blasko) and Othello for Bell Shakespeare; Ladybird, 2000 Feet Away, Faustus, Pan and Cresent Moon Yellow Star for B Sharp; Maralinga for Ettalong Services Club and Company B; Hamlet for Riverside Theatre and Ensemble Theatre; Drowned World for Darlinghurst Theatre.

As a solo instrumentalist, Stefan performed live in War Of The Roses for Sydney Theatre Company and Peribanez for Company B and recorded for Riflemind and Elling for Sydney Theatre Company. Stefan has toured Australia and overseas, performing, writing and recording with the band Faker, which earned him a Jack Award, a gold record, a platinum single and several ARIA nominations.

Alexandra Harrison

Alexandra Harrison – Choreographer/Performer

Alexandra Harrison has been engaged in the creation and performance of dance and theatre for the last ten years. As an ensemble member with Legs on the Wall she created, performed and toured nationally and internationally with productions including Homeland, Eora Crossing, On the Case, All of Me, Clearance, Runners Up, Beyond Belief and Flying Blind.

She has directed, devised and performed in three seasons of short dance theatre works for the Downstairs Belvoir St Theatre from 2001-2004 including Knots, Diffusion, Web, Together, Bubble, Krush and Imperfect.  These works subsequently toured Australia. She was a performer and deviser in the transformation of three of these pieces into the award-winning dance films Together, Fallen and Shadow Play.

She performed in and devised Nigel Jamieson’s award-winning Honour Bound (Sydney Opera House and Malthouse Theatre) and Branch Nebula’s Paradise City (Sydney Opera House) both of which toured nationally and internationally. Alexandra developed and performed Half Life with NVA/National Theatre of Scotland and Bubble for the Sydney Opera House. She recently performed and devised Ainsling’s Children, a historic work for the 2009 Gathering at Edinburgh Castle, with UK choreographer Mark Murphy.

She is currently devising new works Symphony and Corrick Project with Legs on the Wall and Positional Vertigo with Sofia Woods. She has been supported in choreographic explorations of endurance by Critical Path and the Fling Rural Residency program and is currently undertaking a new research of What’s Coming.

In 2010 she premieres, her first solo work, Dark, Not Too Dark with the support of the of the Australia Council, Performance Space and Queen St Studios.

Amy Macpherson

Originally from Perth, Amy moved to Melbourne to study a Bachelor of the Arts (Dance) at the Victorian College of the Arts. In 2005 Amy received the Joy Nicholls Award for Outstanding Achievement, and in 2007, the Dr Phillip Law Travel Scholarship. Upon graduating she attended International dance festivals in Austria, The Netherlands and Italy. She has worked with Cadi McCarthy & Company on RESTLESS and with Soft Landing, a graduate dance program directed by Solon Ulbrich. She is Co-Director of contemporary dance company Phantom Limbs, touring their first work Concrete Solace to the 2009 Adelaide Fringe Festival, QL2 Centre for Youth Dance and Theatre Works, receiving the ‘2009 Moving Works Audience Choice Award’ and ‘Theatre Works Industry Development Award’. Most recently Phantom Limbs has received funding from City of Melbourne for a dance work to be presented in early 2010. Amy is a guest lecturer in Dance at the National Institute of Circus Arts. She joins Legs on the Wall for ‘Symphony’.

Alejandro Rolandi

Alejandro Rolandi is a visual and performing artist, originally from Buenos Aries Argentina. He has had training in acting, physical theatre, clowning, pantomime, acro-balance and circus and he is also a qualified rigger. He has practiced Contact Improvisation for the last 14 years and has been teaching regularly in Sydney since 2002. Alejandro has worked for companies like Legs on the Wall, Shaun Parker, Sue Healey Co, Force Majeure, Zen Zen Zo, ACPE and the dance department of the UNSW. In 2008 he toured with a Legs on the Wall performance for the VISA corporate lounge at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and spent a month in Argentina training with the internationally acclaimed Aerial Dance company Aerea of Brenda Angiel. In 2009, he worked as a physical performer for the Opera Australia production The Magic Flute, completing a successful season in Sydney and Melbourne.

Alejandro is also the artistic director of Strings Attached, an emerging self-funded Physical Theatre group.