INSPIRE: Torbay violinist wins triple silver at Global Music Awards with album inspired by Great Southern

Torbay musician and composer Robert Zielinski’s concept album Kiangardarup, offering listeners a glimpse into a day at Torbay Inlet, has scored him a triple silver win at the Global Music Awards. Zielinski said the album, which won silver medal honours in the world music, instrumentalist, and sound editing and mixing categories, aims to take listeners on a journey, allowing them to experience a day and night at Torbay Inlet from dawn to dusk and then dusk to dawn. The Perth-raised musician’s passion for string instruments began under the mentorship of Mick and Sean Doherty, and was honed while living on Ireland’s west coast from age 17, learning to play traditional Irish music on the fiddle and violin. After a rotator cuff injury stopped him working and playing his beloved string instruments, Zielinski returned to Australia at 31 years old where he was reunited with Mick Doherty and taught a new technique of playing that wouldn’t hurt his body. In 2016, Zielinski moved to Torbay to make violins with his brother and his fascination with the natural landscape of the Great Southern began. “I discovered the Torbay Inlet and I couldn’t believe that place existed,” he said. “I just used to go down there all the time, every day, I couldn’t stay away. “This album came from just doing that, I didn’t intend to write it.” The album was recorded in a mammoth effort by Zielinski and his team over six years, and he said it was a trial and error process to find a way to make the piece shine. “I recorded it twice at the in the Perth Concert Hall for the big space, and then I tried studios and churches, halls, but nothing was really working,” he said. “I always had this idea to record outside, so I bought mobile recording gear and just started recording outside on really low wind days at the upper Torbay Inlet in the karri forest in West Cape Howe National Park.” After a year of recording, Zielinski went to Crank Recording in Perth, and worked with WA artists Melinda Forsythe, Manuela Centanni, Ken Hayward, and Jim Green to add other instrumental parts including flute, cello and didgeridoo over his original recordings. Menang elder Vernice Gillies gave Zielinski the name Kiangardarup, which is the Menang name for the upper Torbay Inlet and was passed down through her family for generations. Zielinski said the name felt more fitting than anything he had considered. “We went to Vernice to ask the name of the places we were writing music about, and she gave it to us and gave us permission to use it,” he said. “It was originally called the Torbay Suite, and it’s still that, but it felt right to use the name she’d given us.” Zielinski said the passion and inspiration that started the project kept the team going, but the recognition at the Global Music Awards came as a complete surprise. “It’s really great because the awards will get it out more and get it listened to, and we obviously want people to hear this music,” he said. “At the moment we’re working on a live show, which is slowly coming together with Manuela’s images, and the bush sounds and the whole hour of music, so we’re hoping it will be something really special.” The album will be available on music streaming platforms from April 7.

INSPIRE: Torbay violinist wins triple silver at Global Music Awards with album inspired by Great Southern

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