TESTAMENT
A Cross Generational Concept Album
A celebration of our elders, made by young people (and industry legends)
Every community has generations of unheard stories. Thousands of stories sitting just under the surface of our suburbs.
Those stories are the stories of Australia
Testament is a pioneering process where a group of young people aged between 13 and 19 interview important older people in their lives. Grandparents, community leaders, politicians
Through that process they ask questions about growing up and growing old in Australia, delving deeper into these stories and their own.
They then transform those stories passed down to them into 'Testament', an album that celebrates different generations through song.
The interviews are conducted, transcribed, the songs are written, recorded and released; the band booked; the headline singers booked.
A pilot prgram of Testament was facilitated by Marian St Theatre for Young People in Sydney’s Northern Suburbs in 2020.
Pilot program Artists: 12 young people from MSTYP; iOTA (Smoke and Mirrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Prinnie Stevens (The Voice, Hair the musical), Abby Dobson (Leonardo’s Bride) and Kamahl (Aussie legend) alongside an ensemble of young people, a professional band and the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra.
We want to make the next ‘Testament’ Album in your community
“Imagine your grandchild wrote a song about your life and then boomed it out to a cheering audience”
Tim McIntyre - North Shore Times
Stories of Testament
Wendy’s Story - inspired Fingerprints
Wendy is a community Elder, children’s book author, poet and grandmother. Her story is one of inspiration and creativity. In her interview Wendy spoke of her family history as a descendent of the infamous colonial Blaxland family (of Blue Mountains crossing) and how the passing generations inspire her. Her ancentor built a house and embedded in each brick of the house is a fingerprint of the person who crafted it. The story inspired ‘fingerprints’ and how even in history, good or bad, we leave our marks on the people and places we encounter.
During the process, Wendy was interviewed by young artist, Amy Townsend. Amy sings the song on the album alongside industry legend, Abby Dobson who was Amy’s mentor. Amy, also a talented visual artist designed the album artwork.
This is Wendy’s Testament. This is Wendy’s Song.
Listen to Fingerprints
