Roman Astra (Sitar, Esraj, Guitar and Vocals)
Roman was born in Vienna. He learned to play the piano at the age of six. At the age of fourteen he began playing the guitar and later trained to sing. His interest in ancient civilizations took him to China, Tibet, Nepal and India, where he lived to study the sitar. He later also picked up the Indian violin.
Roman has been part of Tasmania’s Music and Performance scene since 1988, when he co-founded The Horizon Circus. His team also organized The 1994 World Music Show in Hobart. With his numerous ensembles he has performed at Tasmanian and mainland festivals. He likes to mix and match genres and styles and encourages his fellow musicians to create a personal musical language. His intriguing music can be listened to and downloaded from most digital servers including i-Tunes, Spotify, Napster and Amazon.
“If you turn out to be a musician, everything you ever heard will come through in your playing”, believes Astra. “I like to demonstrate how easily music can cross physical and cultural boundaries. It’s a language in itself!”
Allan Badalassi (piano) received his degree in music and teaching from the Conservatorium of Music in Tasmania in 2006. His compositions have been performed in Tasmanian venues and on ABC classic FM
In 2005 two string quartet pieces, Pascal Time and Stages of Mediation, were performed in London.
Allan’s compositions are of ambient/classical nature.
He prefers not to name them, for not wanting the audiences to have expectations, but to let the music take them onto a journey.
His ideas come through nature. His mind collects sounds, thoughts and feelings and uses these in the compositions to give the music that added feeling of being in the open. His influences are composer such as, Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Satie. These composer’s ways of writing music continue to teach him how to create music and melody to its highest form, as well as how to bring power to a piece of music.
Lynn Mitchell (flute, harp, harmonium)
Lynn, holding a degree in classical music and teaching piano and flute in Hobart, is probably best known as a forming member of Ethereal and Spiral Harmony. She has been performing at local and mainland events for over years. Ethereal have produced several CD’s that were featured on Tasmanian arts- and music websites and the Amplified showcase.
Lynne has been working together with Roman for many years now, presenting shows like, Overtone Ornaments and Musikarousel at arts centers and festivals.