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News & Projects  

Duo Blockstix

Duo Blockstix is a unique ensemble featuring recorder player Alicia Crossley and percussionist Joshua Hill. Formed in 2014 the duo perform repertoire spanning 800 years with an emphasis on promoting new and innovative compositions. 

In 2017 Duo Blockstix launched their debut cd featuring works for recorder and percussion by Australian Composers.

Duo Blockstix look forward to bringing you exciting program.

For details visit www.duoblockstix.com.

© Alicia Crossley 2024

Reflection Project

Alicia Crossley is currently in the development phase of a new recording project, based on the theme of reflection. Alicia will be working with composers Lachlan Skipworth, Nat Bartsch, Elena Kats-Chernin, Anne Cawrse, Chris Sainsbury, Sally Whitwell and Mark Bradshaw to create new works for this exciting project.

Photographer Emily Sandrussi

Past Highlights

Bass Instincts CD launch and Tour 2021-2022

"This recording and performance project vibrates, breathes and sings on an incredibly high level" Sydney Arts Guide

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"There’s something of the funky strangeness of Ornette Coleman, say, or late Coltrane in Alicia Crossley’s latest recording...On display throughout this novel, inventive yet accessible program is Crossley’s own extraordinary creativity, imagination, and musicianship. Instinctive, yes. Base, no." Limelight

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"Traversing a broad range of stylistic persuasions, this album showcases the incredible musicianship, virtuosity and powerful capacity for storytelling that is one of Australia’s finest artists, Alicia Crossley. Listeners, regardless of their familiarity and comfort levels with new music should take a listen to this wonderful album." The Music Trust

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Alicia Crossley's fourth album "Bass Instincts" features 7 newly commissioned compositions for bass recorder composed by some of Australia's leading female composers. The Bass Instincts Tour visited audiences in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra.

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design: Luke Moseley, artwork by Loribelle Spirovski
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ARIA AWARD NOMINATION 2020

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Alicia Crossley had the honour of being one of the five nominees for the 2020 ARIA Award for Best Classical Ablum for her album Muse which featured new Australian compositions for recorder and string quartet. Thank you to every at ARIA and the amazing team of musicians and composers who helped make Muse possible.

Muse 2018

"Muse was a beguiling concert full of whimsy and musical story-telling, neatly programmed to draw the audience through the disparate styles of the composers showcased. Fine performances by Crossley and the Acacia Quartet were a pleasure, but perhaps even more significant is the contribution to the recorder repertoire fostered here by Crossley." Angus McPherson, December 10 2018, Limelight Magazine

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Alicia Crossley joined the acclaimed Acacia Quartet to record and present 6 new Australian compositions for recorder and string quartet inspired by poetry, mythology, historic figures and storybook characters. Muse is Alicia's third CD release and has received high praise from critics and audiences alike.

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design: David Boyce, artwork by Blule
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Metropolis New Music Festival 2017

Alicia had the privilege of performing alongside an international line-up as part of Metropolis 2017. Held at the Melbourne Recital Centre, Alicia performed a solo recital, Fragments, which feature highlights from her acclaimed albums Addicted to Bass and Alchemy.

design: David Boyce
design: David Boyce

Duality 2015

“Granger and Crossley should of course be commended for their musical skill and technical prowess, after a concert of largely faultless, well-executed playing, but for constructing an evening of such bold, uncompromising, pioneering music they deserve a standing ovation. Trailblazers, while not always popular, should be fearless, and this was a performance that wasn’t just brave, but also brilliant.”  Maxim Boon, October 12 2015, Limelight Magazine

Duality was the result of an ongoing collaboration between Alicia Crossley and American harpist Emily Ann Granger. The enormously successful concert tour, which visited Bellingen, Canberra and Sydney, featured works for recorder and harp and including 3 world premieres. Thanks to Fine Music 102.5 FM for their support project.

AIR NOMINATION 2015

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Alicia Crossley had the honour of being one of the five nominees for the 2015 AIR Award for Best Classical Album for her album Alchemy which featured compositions transcribed for the recorder. Thank you to every at AIR and everyone who made Alchemy possible.

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Alchemy CD and Tour 2015 

Alchemy is Alicia Crossley’s second solo CD and explores works transcribed for recorder including Bach’s Cello Suite No.1, Debussy’s Syrinx, Takemitsu’s Toward the Sea, and JacobTV’s The Garden of Love. 

 

The CD’s launched in conjunction with Alicia Crossley’s first national tour, visiting Sydney (NSW), Griffith (NSW), Wagga Wagga (NSW), Canberra (ACT), Melbourne (VIC), Penrith (NSW) and Burradoo (NSW). Special thanks to Fine Music 102.5 FM for their valuable support of this tour.

design: David Boyce

Aurora Festival 2012 & 2014

Alicia has had the honour of performing at the Aurora Festival in both 2014 and 2012. In 2014 Alicia performed at Blacktown Arts Centre with some of Australian leading musicians including Melissa Farrow (baroque flute),  Ollie Miller (cello) and Mark Atkins (didgeridoo). In 2012, the Aurora Festival’s "We Heart the Recorder" was held at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre and included workshops and a performance for 40 recorder students from local Primary Schools, directed by Alicia Crossley. 

Aurora Festival 2012 & 2014

Photographer Emily French (2012 Aurora Festival)

Memoriam 2012

The "concerbition" Memoriam, held at the Gaffa Gallery in Sydney, was a hugely successful event and very well received. The concerbition (the combination of an art exhibition and concert) explored notions of mortality and the ephemeral, fleeting nature of life with artwork by Emily Sandrussi and music by Alicia Crossley. Memoriam also included the world premiere of Paul Castles' composition Psychopomp. 

Memoriam 2012 

Photographer Emily French

Addicted to Bass 2011

“This endeavour ticked all the boxes of contemporary composition: obscure instrumentation, sexy performer and underground venue” 

RealTime issue #105 Oct-Nov 2011 pg. 41

Addicted to Bass was an ambitious project involving the commission, recording and premiere of 7 new works featuring bass recorder. Alicia had the honour of working with some of Australia’s leading emerging composers to create innovative new works for the under-utilised bass recorder. The CD’s launch in August 2011 was a great success and works from “Addicted to Bass” have enjoyed numerous broadcasts and performances.

Addicted to Bass

Photographer Erin Anne Cardenzana

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