ABOUT MOON RADIO
Moon Radio Hour is a brand new Musica Viva In Schools performance coming in 2021 that we cannot wait to see perform live! Sam, Matthew and Evan from The Sousaphonics return with their new program, Moon Radio Hour, to take students on an imaginative fast-paced journey through space, time and the unexpected!
We caught up with multi-instrumentalist, Sam Golding to learn more about Moon Radio Hour, what students and teachers can expect from the performance, and how the group have kept themselves busy in 2020.
Where does the name Moon Radio Hour come from?
Moon Radio Hour came to us all in a flash. It perfectly captures our story. We are a spaceship on a mission to go to the furthest reaches of the galaxies and beam out our daily radio show in order to make contact with other life-forms. As the moon governs so much of the cycles of life on Earth, so our Moon Radio Hour governs our lives aboard our inter-stellar space-ship.
Tell us about your performance. What can teachers and students expect?
They can expect the unexpected! We are passionate about improvising. We love to improvise on our instruments. We love to improvise with the twists and turns of the plot of every new Moon Radio Hour show, and we love to improvise with the audiences themselves.
We won’t let anybody leave without their license to try new stuff, so there’ll be some funny - possibly awkward - but always entertaining moments as we draw everyone into our creative world.
Can you tell us about you/your ensemble's history with Musica Viva In Schools?
The Sousaphonics first started developing materials for live performances with Musica Viva In Schools in 2005. We started as a happy 5-piece mini brass band, then reduced to a 4-piece mini-mini happy brass band, and now we’re a happy and fully-functional mini-mini-mini brass band. In 2005 I also started working with another Musica Viva In Schools group called Teranga. Teranga is a group drawing on Senegalese musical traditions led by Pape M’Baye. We performed for Musica Viva In Schools until 2018.
Outside of Musica Viva In Schools, what does the ensemble get up to musically?
We do a lot of big and little gigs all around Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle. For instance, if you’ve ever seen a little roving band at the opening of an event, or making music at a big Christmas office picnic, or entertaining the crowds in the stands at the footy, then the chances are high that you’ve seen us perform with our “roving capes” on. Playing “al fresco” is how we started and it’s still a big part of what we do.
2020 been a difficult year. What have you done to keep creative and musical?
The Sousaphonics have been busy beavering behind the scenes to fine-tune our material for Moon Radio Hour's 2021 touring schedule.
Personally, I’ve taken the hiatus from live performances as a great opportunity to play lots of piano at home - in between juggling kids, teaching and rehearsing. For me, 2020 felt as busy and as charged as ever, it’s just that fewer people were around to watch :)
What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
Launching the good ship Moon Radio Hour into outer space!
Learn more about Moon Radio Hour and when they are touring near you in 2021 here.
