Melbourne Music Week & Chris Rainier present I Was A Bum Once Myself: The Boxcar Revelations of Harry Partch

In a dark and desperate portrayal of America during the Great Depression, Chris Rainier presents an evening of music by the maverick American composer, theorist and instrument-builder, Harry Partch [1901-1974].

This performance will focus on Partch's rarely-heard works for voice and adapted guitar, which were composed during his years as a hobo, riding the rails through 1940s America. Hitchhiker's inscriptions, snatches of inebriated dialogue, and letters from ex-convicts are all brought to life using his unique microtonal scale of 43 notes to the octave.

This exclusive concert will also include the Australasian premieres of a selection of Partch's compositions, all performed on a specially commissioned guitar.