Hard work and a strong drive underpin the entrepreneurial vision of Harmonnia Junus, but there’s no denying the violinist’s prodigious musical talent has played a crucial role in her not-for-profit events and performing arts management company Artists By Any Other Name (ABAON).
“ABAON was created to bring together artists from different backgrounds to create unique cultural experiences that engage, inspire and educate audiences,” explains Harmonnia. “I really enjoy the collaborative process, working with other musicians and creative disciplines, so I wanted to create a community of artists for artists, so that they can work on projects and create their own performances without the financial burden of producing a concert.”
Having studied at the prestigious New York Mannes College and completing a Bachelor of Music and Masters degree, Harmonnia has performed at the Sydney Opera House, National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, Jiaozi Concert Hall in Chengdu, China, Carnegie Hall in New York, Lincoln Centre’s Alice Tully Hall, the National Opera Centre, Symphony Space, and the National Cathedral in Washington DC. She has played under the batons of maestro Gernot Schmalfuss, Xu Dong Yang, Dane Lam, Simon Kenway, and alongside the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
At just 35, Harmonnia’s performance experience is extensive, and it’s this impressive resume that allows her to collaborate with world-class artists to produce performances that explore different cultural influences to create unique and enriching performances.
“During my Master’s degree at Mannes, Entrepreneurial Musician was a compulsory subject, and it sparked my ‘I can make anything happen’ attitude. This is what inspired me to launch ABAON in New York City in 2015, as a contemporary dance and chamber music collective,” says Harmonnia.
“Our first concert was on Valentine’s Day with a concert called ‘Love: Classical to Contemporary’. From this humble beginning ABAON grew, enabling me to bringing the group to Australia once a year, to where it finally found its home in Australia in 2018.
“Today, ABAON is a registered not-for-profit through the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) as there aren’t many organisations that serve the needs of artists in the creative industry. Our focus is on creating unique performances that provides important paid work for performers and has seen us broaden the scope of ABAON with the creation of Ensemble Fusion as the musical chamber arm, and Odyssey Symphony Orchestra to enable us to deliver large-scale performances.”
This February ABAON is presenting Legends & Lanterns as part of Sydney’s Year of the Dragon celebrations. It is a unique musical fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, with Harmonnia playing violin and joined by internationally renowned Chinese-Australian cellist Li-Wei Qin, eminent erhu artist Professor Fuhua Li,andthe Odyssey Symphony Orchestra, which features some of Sydney’s leading musical talent, all under the baton of Musical Director of the Australian Ballet Jonathon Lo. It is thanks Harmonnia’s deep respect for artistic diversity and cultural heritage that ABAON is able to secure the support of these world-class performers.
Legends & Lanterns
Legends & Lanterns will showcase much-loved pieces from the classical Chinese repertoire, including the Spring Festival Overture, Galloping Horses, and a special abridged version of Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto for Violin and Erhu, featuring Harmonnia Junus and Fuhua Li. These pieces will be complemented by a selection of Western works, including masterpieces by Brahms and Strauss and featuring the dynamic talent of Li-Wei playing Saint Saen’s Cello Concerto, in what will be a show of supreme skill and orchestral artistry.
“Legends & Lanterns has been created to encourage artists from various backgrounds to explore and merge their artistic voices in a powerful and harmonious symphony,” says Harmonnia. “It showcases creativity, inclusivity and innovation and blends traditional art forms with contemporary expressions to ensure there is something for everyone – from musical aficionados to the classically curious.”
Legends & Lanterns is being performed at The Concourse, Chatswood on 11 February 2024 and at Sydney Town Hall on 14 February 2024.
