Greta Kelly, is a Brisbane based musician and producer who has founded a number of culturally diverse, international touring projects. She plays violin, shah kaman and theremini. Greta has been the secretary of the board of DeepBlue Orchestra Inc since 2018 and has performed with the group since 2005. She played a key role in transforming DeepBlue from a company structure into an artist-managed incorporated association.
Greta produced and performed in the following DeepBlue projects and collaborations:
- DeepBlue’s season at Australia Pavilion Expo 2025 Osaka supported by the Australian Government.
- 2023 and 2022 Corrina Bonshek & Collaborators and DeepBlue tours of Song to the Ocean and Song to the Earth with Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) federal funding.
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DeepBlue’s appearance as the house band for the Australian of the Year Awards 2020 in collaboration with arranger Steven Baker, broadcast live on ABC TV.
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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.
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DeepBlue USA 2014 & 2015 supported by QUT
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DeepBlue Vietnam 2014, supported by DFAT
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DeepBlue Ozfest India tour 2012, 5 dates, supported by DFAT
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DeepBlue Taiwan tours 2012, 2015
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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.
Greta and Corrina Bonshek collaborated with classical Arabic vocalist Samira El Koussa in Love, Always Love a music / theatre production premiered 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.
Greta is also passionate about sharing her love of music with the broader community when on tour, and she also runs music workshops for migrants and refugees through various settlement organisations.