LB) Your work spans orchestral, operatic, and electroacoustic music. How are you thinking about using sound or performance to engage with the legacy of Section 28?

 

AA) I have composed a protest song for the amazing band Sherpa K - they sing and play an array of instruments including accordion, piano, double bass, flute, guitar and cajon.

 

LB) Many of your projects explore storytelling through music. Are there particular queer narratives or histories you want to bring to life in this commission?  /  How do you approach translating historical or political material into musical or performative forms that engage audiences emotionally and intellectually?

 

AA) In the song 'Never Going Underground' I am imagining the journey of protestors before, during and after the march. I included verbatim text taken from the interview archive that was compiled especially for this project, featuring quotes from activists and actors who describe their experiences and opinions from the time. My lyrics for the final song draw parallels between 1988 and the rhetoric of today - I had the aim of fostering empathy and courage. 

 

LB) If you could write a short letter to the LGBTQ+ youth in the era of Section 28, what would it say? 

 

AA) Dear friends - there's going to be a day when you can live openly and be celebrated, on TV, in books and films, in public life, by your friends and family. There's going to be a day when heroes from history are lifted up in their queerness. There's going to be a day when you don't even have to 'come out', you can just live as yourself from day one. The fight doesn't stop, but because of you and your courage, people like me can have the freedom to just be, and love who we love. Thank you, and don't ever give up. x