Australian award-wining jazz trio Elixir to tour Vietnam next week

The Australian Embassy in Hanoi is delighted to announce a tour by Elixir - a famous Australian folk and jazz-inspired band – to Hanoi and Da Nang from 16 – 19 May 2013. Elixir comes to Vietnam as part of the Australian Government’s programme to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam. The tour is supported by Musica Viva which is Australia’s oldest independent performing arts organisation.

Elixir is a trio of friends and musicians - multi-platinum selling songstress Katie Noonan who is one of Australia’s most beloved vocalists, outstanding saxophonist Zac Hurren and the highly-regarded jazz guitarist Stephen Magnusson. During this first tour to Vietnam, the band will present their album “First Seed Ripening” which debuted at #1 on the Australia Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Jazz chart and went on to win the prestigious ARIA Award for Jazz in 2011.

The tour, which is supported by the Voice of Vietnam (VOV) and the Da Nang City Department of Foreign Affairs, will start in Hanoi with two performances at the VOV Theatre on 16 & 17 May before the band travels to Da Nang for a performance at the Trung Vuong Theatre on 19 May. Apart from the concerts, the band will also conduct a workshop with teachers and students at the vocal, guitar and saxophone departments of the University of Art Education in Hanoi and pay a visit to the Children’s Hope in Action (CHIA) – a non-governmental organisation looking after disadvantaged children in Quang Nam Province.

“Following the successful tours of Bangarra Dance Theatre and the Questacon science travelling exhibition, we are proud to introduce Elixir - an Australian band well-known for its improvised folk and jazz-inspired blend of music - as part of our celebrations of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam. We hope that Elixir’s tour will help bring the Australian music closer to Vietnamese audience,” said Australian Ambassador Hugh Borrowman.

Admission to all three Elixir’s concerts in Hanoi and Da Nang is free of charge. Tickets will be available on first come first served basis (limit of two per person) at:
Hanoi: VOV Office (#65 Quan Su St) and the Australian Embassy (#8 Dao Tan St) from 9 May
Da Nang: Trung Vuong Theatre (#35 Phan Chau Trinh St) from 10 May

For further information and updates on Elixir’s tour in Vietnam and other 40th anniversary activities, please visit the Embassy’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AustralianEmbassyVietnam  and http://www.flickr.com/photos/australianembassyvietnam/

Or contact Ms. Vu Binh Chau, Media Officer, Australian Embassy in Hanoi (phone: 04 3774 0216, mobile: 0166 561 0149, email: [email protected]).