Greta Kelly, is a Brisbane based musician and producer with a background in education who performs with and manages a number of culturally diverse projects, and has produced several multi-arts productions.
Greta has been the secretary of the board of DeepBlue Orchestra Inc since 2018 and has performed with the group on violin, shah kaman and theremin since 2005. She played a key role in transforming DeepBlue from a company structure into an artist-managed incorporated association which involved the development of the organisation’s constitution, values, strategic plan, registration with the ACNC and re-branding.
In 2022 Greta and composer/artistic director Corrina Bonshek successfully applied for DeepBlue to be awarded Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) federal funding to tour Song to the Ocean in collaboration with Whaia Maori Sonic Weaver and iconic Australian percussionist Michael Askill. Song to the Ocean will be performed at Home of the Arts, Gold Coast, Moreton Bay and the North Australian Festival of Arts, Townsville in 2023.
In 2021 she and Bonshek were successful in applying for RISE funding for DeepBlue to tour Bonshek’s sister project, Song to the Earth in collaboration with Michael Askill which was staged at Redland Performing Arts Centre, Kingston Butter Factory Cultural Precinct and Rockhampton River Festival in 2022.
In 2020 Greta produced DeepBlue’s appearance as the house band for the Australian of the Year Awards in collaboration with arranger Steven Baker, broadcast live on ABC TV.
In 2019 she co-produced Our Place in collaboration with The Queensland Choir and Digi Youth Ars with the assistance of Queensland University of Technology, Arts Queensland QASP funding and Brisbane City Council.
Greta managed the DeepBlue and YoungBlue components of the creative development, community engagement and performances on the following projects by composer and artistic director Corrina Bonshek
- – Inherit the Wind 2017 produced by Meredith Elton
- – Song to the Earth 2018 co-commissioned by City of Gold Coast, Bleach*Festival and the Queensland Government through the Regional Arts Development Fund and the Office of the Commonwealth Games and other funding sources, and produced by Bleach* Festival.
- – Song to the Earth 2018 – Flowstate Opening Festival, SouthBank, Brisbane
She has co-produced the following two DeepBlue collaborations with Corrina Bonshek.
- – Song to the Ocean 2021 co-commissioned by Fraser Coast Tourism & Events and Fraser Coast Regional Council, with assistance of the Australian Government through the Festivals Australia program and the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF).
- – Song to the Earth featuring Kayan Parap 2018 in collaboration with the Tuyang Initiative featuring Adrian Jo Milang for the Rainforest Fringe Festival in Malaysia’s Borneo.
Greta co-produced the following DeepBlue tours:
- – DeepBlue USA 2014 & 2015
- – DeepBlue Vietnam 2014, supported by DFAT
- – DeepBlue Ozfest India tour 2012, 5 dates, supported by DFAT
- – DeepBlue Taiwan tour 2012, 2015
- – DeepBlue Who Are You tour 2012, 17 dates in South and Western Australia, supported by Australia Council for the Arts
Since 2004 Greta has collaborated with vocalist, artistic director and writer Pauline Maudy in their world music six-piece, MZAZA and since 2020 Greta has been the executive producer of Human Symphony, an arts company co-producing two theatre shows in collaboration with Maudy; The Birth and Death of Stars – MZAZA, and; Take Me to Paris.
She and Corrina Bonshek collaborated with classical Arabic vocalist Samira El Koussa and directors Rosie Dennis and Aleea Monsour to create Love, Always Love a music / theatre production which was premiered at Bleach* Festival 2022 with the support of the Queensland Government’s Independent Creators’ fund.
To backtrack a bit… after studying at The University of Queensland Greta lived in Prague for four years where she discovered Eastern European folk music. Greta learnt shah kaman (Persian spike-fiddle made by luthier Peter Biffin) at the Labyrinth Music Workshops in Greece, and a tour of Turkey to study classical, folk and sufi music. She received funding to study, conduct music workshops and perform music in Iran in 2011 and 2019, and has recently been studying Azeri kamanche.
Greta has over 10 years experience designing digital education programs at the University of Queensland and the development and delivery of music education and community engagement programs. She also runs music workshops for migrants and refugees through various national settlement organisations.
