From garage bands to the Australian Art Orchestra, Knight traces his path to Hand to Earth, an ensemble whose new album *Ŋurru Wäŋa* honors Indigenous song traditions while exploring electroacoustic possibilities with producer Lawrence English.
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The Spotlight shines On composer, trumpeter, and producer Peter Knight.
Peter Knight has spent decades working in the spaces between genres and cultures. His latest project brings together 40,000-year-old Indigenous Australian songs with contemporary electroacoustic music through Hand to Earth's new album, the title of which translates as "the scent of home." The record finds Peter collaborating with Indigenous songkeepers Daniel and David Wilfred alongside Korean vocalist Sunny Kim, creating music that honors ancient traditions while pushing into new sonic territory.
He's here to walk us through this remarkable collaboration and share how his work with the Australian Art Orchestra shaped his understanding of music as a bridge between worlds.
(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Hand to Earth's album Ŋurru Wäŋa)
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[00:01:22] The new album *Ŋurru Wäŋa* and its meaning
[00:02:09] "The Scent of Home" and the search for belonging
[00:06:38] How Hand to Earth's recording process mirrors *bunggul* rhythms
[00:07:28] The spontaneous recording session
[00:11:50] Organic collaboration versus intellectualizing music
[00:12:59] "They sing their songs to me, and I sing my songs to them"
[00:14:42] The importance of cultural exchange over backing or dictating
[00:17:30] What "Australian art" means in the Australian Art Orchestra
[00:18:52] Finding optimism through artistic practice
[00:19:11] From garage bands to contemporary composition
[00:22:16] Trumpet as acoustic instrument versus electroacoustic processing
[00:23:28] The conscious decision to work across different mediums
[00:25:21] Openness, collaboration, and preserving artistic core
[00:26:36] Finding your identity as a facilitator and artist
[00:28:09] The Creative Music Intensive residency program
[00:30:23] A wedding that closed the circle
[00:32:15] Room40 as label and community builder
[00:34:28] Lawrence English's philosophy and influence
[00:36:01] Learning from the COVID generation
[00:37:27] What's next: *TL;DR* and upcoming solo work
[00:39:24] September collaboration with Shabaka at the Barbican
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• Hand to Earth - Contemporary Australian ensemble
- Hand to Earth on Peter Knight's website → https://www.peterknightmusic.com/hand-to-earth
- Hand to Earth page on Australian Art Orchestra site → https://www.aao.com.au/project/hand-to-earth
• Ŋurru Wäŋa (The Scent of Home) - Latest album
- Album on Room40 Bandcamp → https://room40.bandcamp.com/album/urru-w-a
- Album info on Room40 website → https://room40.org/edition/shadow-phase
• Peter Knight - Official website → https://www.peterknightmusic.com
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