Songs of the Sea: Mikelangelo & Van Diemen’s Fiddles

Oceans are vast, mysterious, and full of stories that have shaped humanity. Their waters sustain, swallow, and carry us across the world, connecting and separating us in equal measure. Floating on the ocean’s swell are grand, evolving narratives—stories, myths, and songs. Mikelangelo and Van Diemen’s Fiddles will take you on the journey.

Guiding the audience through Songs of the Sea is Mikelangelo (Michael Simic of Mikelangelo and The Black Sea Gentlemen), a salt-crusted storyteller and bittersweet bard. With his deep baritone, Mikelangelo explores the heart's stormy depths, weaving absurd shanties and capturing secrets freed from the sea’s breaking tides. Shipwrecked sailors, bewitching mermaids, and wily fishermen populate his songbook.

Joining Mikelangelo are acclaimed Tasmanian band Van Diemen’s Fiddles in their first visit to Four Winds, and internationally acclaimed folk artists Luke Plumb and Dave McNamara on mandolin and accordion. Van Diemen's Fiddles are Van Diemen's Band's multi-genre art music ensemble blending innovative arrangements, original compositions and vocal performances. Together, they blend maritime folk, classical, and experimental compositions to evoke the salty essence of the sea through music. Van Diemen's Fiddle's acclaimed "Whispering Walls" program was commissioned by Lindy Hume AM for the 2021 Ten Days on the Island Festival.