From Ngeringa to UKARIA: The Meaning of Our Name

FROM NGERINGA TO UKARIA: WHY WE CHANGED OUR NAME

Formerly known as ‘Ngeringa Arts’, we changed our name in September 2016. Unearthing the new name was a unique and welcome opportunity to reflect on our rich history and compose a new chapter. It also eliminated any brand confusion with Ngeringa Vineyards, which sits alongside the Cultural Centre.

The name ‘UKARIA’ was conceived by Genevieve Lacey (Artistic Advisor), Ulrike Klein AO (Founder) and Alison Beare (CEO) during a trip to Lockenhaus in 2016. It takes inspiration from Ulrike’s vision and legacy, represented by her initials UK. The second part of the portmanteau, ‘ARIA’ (a song within opera and oratorio), is derived from the Greek and Latin word ‘aer’, meaning air and freedom. UKARIA is also hidden within the botanical name for hoop pine – Araucaria Cunninghamii. This wood is used extensively in the interior of the concert hall. It is a rich golden colour and plays a vital role in the acoustical performance of the hall. It is one of the building’s most distinguishing features and is our reference to nature, growth and renewal.

The UKARIA Cultural Centre is constructed using distinctive materials of earth, wood and steel. The straight wooden ceiling beams join at sharp angles, the ceiling revolves in angular geometry, the rammed earth walls gently sweep around the interior and the main structure is circular, representing the ideals of intimacy and closeness. The icon of the brand has been designed drawing on this inspiration.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME: DEVELOPING THE CULTURAL PROGRAM

Over the past five years, UKARIA’s cultural program has grown from a modest ten concerts a year into a vibrant, eclectic offering that spans several genres, including classical, jazz, contemporary and world music. Programmed by Alison Beare (CEO) and Ulrike Klein (Founder and Director), it is the physical manifestation of UKARIA’s philosophy and ethos.

‘Artists are at the heart of UKARIA,’ Ulrike says. ‘Musicians create projects and experiences here that they can’t realise elsewhere, inviting colleagues to join them as they bring long-held dreams to life. It’s our privilege to enable these outpourings of sound and soul. And in doing so, to provide opportunities for audiences to be in the presence of the profound flow of creativity.’

‘We take our responsibility to music seriously. Each year, we travel across the country and overseas, visiting festivals and meeting artists. It’s a time of forging relationships, expanding perspectives, and dreaming of possibilities.’

‘Travelling to festivals and concert halls is intense, inspiring and exhausting in equal measure, but above all it’s aspirational,’ Alison says. ‘We see and hear what’s happening and what’s possible in the world of music, and this informs our programming. We plan our itineraries so we can hear the artists on our “wish lists” and meet them in person, human to human. This is where we find the international artists who “speak” to us. We listen critically, and of course not all concerts ignite us: we analyse why they didn’t resonate, and what was missing. We form our own views (not always the same), and then debate for hours!’

Travel also helps nurture relationships with artists, venues, and festivals in a way that cannot be achieved by email or phone correspondence alone. ‘It’s affirming,’ Ulrike says, ‘being amid artists, audiences and programmers who wholeheartedly embrace creativity.’

One of the most special of these emerging relationships is with the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin. Under the artistic direction of Daniel Barenboim, the 682-seat elliptical space has become an international destination for chamber music, presenting around 150 worldclass performances a year. ‘Alongside our time at Lockenhaus in other years, this place stands as a beacon,’ Ulrike says. It represents a model for what UKARIA could – on a smaller scale – someday become. Ongoing partnerships with the Melbourne Recital Centre, the Utzon Room at the Sydney Opera House, Perth Festival, the Monash Academy of Performing Arts, the Canberra International Music Festival, and Chamber Music New Zealand have created the possibility of a transTasman touring circuit for artists and ensembles based in Europe and the United States. Each presenter is able to share the costs of international airfares and accommodation expenses, making visits to Australia more financially viable for world-renowned artists and ensembles.

Chaired by Rob Brookman AM (former Executive Director, Adelaide Festival), an arts-heavy Board of Directors includes Mary Vallentine AO (former CEO of Melbourne Recital Centre and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra), Paul Kildea (Artistic Director, Musica Viva Australia), Toby Chadd (Content Manager, ABC Classic and ABC Jazz), and Amanda Duthie (Head of SBS Scripted).

Since 2018, recorder virtuoso and serial collaborator Genevieve Lacey has served as UKARIA’s Artistic Advisor. ‘Genevieve is our creative sounding board,’ Alison explains. ‘She has a deep knowledge of music and brings an external, national and international