William Barton: Bridging Ancient Sounds with Classical Harmony
Australia's yidaki, often known as the didgeridoo, is one of the world's oldest instruments, traditionally crafted from termite-hollowed tree branches. Playing it requires mastering circular breathing. Kalkadunga songman William Barton is a prominent yidaki player, recognized for his cultural preservation, education, and performances on global stages. He has performed for British royals and with notable musicians like Jimmy Barnes and Gurrumul.
Barton is particularly known for integrating the ancient yidaki sound with European classical music, collaborating with symphony orchestras and string quartets worldwide. Ahead of his collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet, Barton discussed his relationship with the instrument.
Barton's Musical Journey
Barton's fascination with the yidaki began in childhood, drawn by its mystery and power as a cultural lens. He learned the instrument and became a songman through family lineage, immersing himself in the songlines of his culture and landscape. He recalls the achievement of making instruments with his parents, cutting tree branches, and experiencing the resin's scent, an intrinsic part of his cultural upbringing.
Yidaki is the name used by people in Arnhem Land, while in Kalkadunga language, it is pronounced YI-de-key. Other names for the instrument exist across different tribes, including yigi yigi and didgeridoo.
Crafting the Yidaki
The yidaki is traditionally made from various tree types found across Queensland, such as bloodwood, snappy gum, iron bark, woollybutt, and yellow box in Cairns. Native Australian beeswax from sugarbag bees is applied to the mouthpiece to shape it for the player's lips.
Each instrument is unique, with its length and diameter determining its pitch and influencing its playability. Barton owns over 30 yidaki instruments.
Classical Collaborations and Milestones
Barton's connection to classical music predates his birth, influencing him from a young age. He performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in his late teens, shortly after his father's death.
A significant career milestone was his collaboration with Peter Sculthorpe, considered a leading figure in Australian classical music. Barton performed Sculthorpe's "Earth Cry" with the Goldner String Quartet in 2001 and the orchestral version in 2002. In 2004, he played the didgeridoo at the premiere of Sculthorpe's requiem, dedicated to his parents and Indigenous Australians.
The collaboration between Barton and the UK-based Brodsky Quartet reflects a shared connection through Sculthorpe. Their partnership began at the Canberra International Music Festival in 2023, where they premiered Andrew Ford's "Eden Ablaze." They subsequently toured New Zealand in 2024.
Current Tour and Repertoire
For their current Australian tour, Barton and the Brodsky Quartet will perform Sculthorpe's String Quartet No. 11, "Jabiru Dreaming," which Sculthorpe adapted to include the yidaki. The program also features classical standards, other Australian works like Robert Davidson's "Minjerribah," and Barton's own commissioned piece, "Square Circles Beneath the Red Desert Sand" (2017).
Notable Performances and Other Instruments
Barton's memorable overseas performances include playing "Kalkadungu" with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in 2009, sharing the stage with Jimmy Barnes and Gurrumul. More recently, he toured Europe with the Australian Youth Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, performing at the Edinburgh Festival and in Hamburg with his mother, Aunty Delmae Barton.
While the yidaki is his primary instrument, Barton also plays electric and acoustic guitar, bass guitar, piano, and uses his voice as an instrument, having also experimented with the violin.
His compositional process often involves the didgeridoo, piano, and guitar, recording melodies on his phone or singing and developing ideas from there. His signature tune is "Kalkadungu Song."
Upcoming Performances
William Barton and the Brodsky Quartet are scheduled to tour Australia from February 25-28, performing in Melbourne, Queensland, and Adelaide. The Adelaide Festival concert will be broadcast on ABC Classic on March 20 at 7 pm.