Oceans are vast, mysterious, and full of stories that have shaped humanity. Their waters sustain, swallow, and carry us across the world, connecting and separating us in equal measure. Floating on the ocean’s swell are grand, evolving narratives—stories, myths, and songs. Mikelangelo and Van Diemen’s Fiddles will take you on the journey.
In partnership with Creative Australia
Guiding the audience through Songs of the Sea is Mikelangelo (Michael Simic of Mikelangelo and The Black Sea Gentlemen), a salt-crusted storyteller and bittersweet bard. With his deep baritone, Mikelangelo explores the heart’s stormy depths, weaving absurd shanties and capturing secrets freed from the sea’s breaking tides. Shipwrecked sailors, bewitching mermaids, and wily fishermen populate his songbook.
Joining Mikelangelo are acclaimed Tasmanian band Van Diemen’s Fiddles in their first visit to Four Winds, and internationally acclaimed folk artists Luke Plumb and Dave McNamara on mandolin and accordion. Van Diemen’s Fiddles are Van Diemen’s Band’s multi-genre art music ensemble blending innovative arrangements, original compositions and vocal performances. Together, they blend maritime folk, classical, and experimental compositions to evoke the salty essence of the sea through music. Van Diemen’s Fiddles’ acclaimed “Whispering Walls” program was commissioned by Lindy Hume AM for the 2021 Ten Days on the Island Festival.
“MIKELANGELO IS ONE OF THE GREAT SHOWMEN OF THE AUSTRALIAN INDIE MUSIC SCENE.”
Artists
Mikelangelo, vocals & guitar
Julia Fredersdorff, Artistic Director, baroque violin & vocals
Rachel Meyers, violin, viola & vocals
Katie Yap, viola & vocals
Dave McNamara, accordion
Luke Plumb, mandolin
‘’Equally at home performing in concert halls or pubs, Van Diemen’s Fiddles tour across Tasmania creating community projects and accessible, multi-disciplinary cultural events across a variety of audience demographics.’’
Tickets
Meet the Artist
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Mikelangelo
Canberra born artist Michael Simic has built a substantial recording and touring career over 20 years under his moniker of Mikelangelo. He has released 11 independent albums and performed sold out shows at music venues, theatres, and majors arts and music festivals through Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe, Canada and the US.
His work has been widely acclaimed, with consistent four and five-star reviews in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Time Out (UK), The Scotsman (UK), La Presse (Canada) and many more.
He has won Best Artist at the Brighton Festival (UK), and Best Group with Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen at Edinburgh Festival (UK), Brighton Festival (UK) and the Green Room awards (AUS). He has been three times nominated for Best Male Artist at The Age/Music Victoria awards alongside artists such as Paul Kelly, Archie Roach and Gotye, and nominated for a Helpmann award for Best Music for the Kate Mulvany play Masquerade.
Michael has appeared live on RocKwiz, The Project, Good Morning Australia and The BBC Culture Show, and his music is played regularly across community radio and ABC radio networks nationally.
Now based in Braidwood NSW with his wife Rose and their daughter Sunny and son Miro, he splits his time between being a husband and father, a writer and performer, and a mentor and champion of local music.
Van Diemen’s Band & Van Diemen’s Fiddles
Based in the wild and unspoiled island state of Tasmania at the southernmost tip of Australia are Van Diemen’s Fiddles. VDF combines the exceptional talents of Van Diemen’s Band artistic director Julia Fredersdorff on baroque violin, Klezmer and folk fiddler Rachel Meyers, and modern/Baroque violist and Freedman Fellow Katie Yap. In 2024 they are joined by modern/Baroque violist and Freedman Fellow Katie Yap.
Equally at home performing in concert halls or pubs, VDF tour across Tasmania creating community projects and accessible, multi-disciplinary cultural events across a variety of audience demographics.
