Step inside a hive

This is one incredible, not-so-nano art installation that is worth checking out.

REIMAGINE Beethoven, Mozart & more

We look forward to playing Beethoven, Mozart and more for you this August! Book tickets as seating is limited.

Peggy Polias + The Nano Symphony

Workshopping with Peggy Polias at the Sydney Opera House - we’re so honoured to be part of this new project!

Oil painting by Kieren Paynter

A painting long admired by The Nano Symphony.

Queen Bee Quack?

Honey bee queens make specific sounds during certain periods of their development. These sounds have been described by humans in various ways—including bleating, mewing, croaking, and honking—but some consensus has been reached on what they mean. Click the link to find out more and to even hear this strange (beguiling?) sound.

Meet Peggy Polias

Peggy is central to the “Keeper” project - her new, modular composition “Hive” is what the project revolves around. Because of her genius-ness, she won a prestigious Fellowship (which you can read all about by clicking on the link below) which The Nano Symphony is very honoured and thrilled to be part of through this project.

Stradivarius, Master luthier

The great violin Master, Stradivarius knew these secret unique blends of oils, resins, beeswax and propolis. He used them in a way that only he knew to be the correct proportion of each natural product creating the secret varnish formula for his invaluable string instruments. Obviously, we know now that the amount of heat applied to the mixture causes specific chemical reactions affecting the properties of each "ingredient" in the finished product. Was this the secret?

A snapshot of one of the workshop sessions with Peggy Polias - taken in the Sydney Opera House, 2015.

We need food need plants need bees

Echinacea flower - everything’s linked.. (click the link below)

Peggy Polias

A snapshot of a workshop for new work "Hive" for the "Keeper" project with Peggy Polias, the “Hives'" composer - taken at the Sydney Opera House, 2015.

Nano Geometry

This geometrical pattern often used by The Nano Symphony is actually a reconfigured grouping of hexagons (as in, bee hive geometry) made to produce a compelling result - a real favourite with The Nano Symphony.

Hexagons galore

Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

In the Met

Elizabeth Van Horne Clarkson made this quilt from hundreds of small hexagonal pieces of fabric. It is the earliest wholly pieced American quilt in the Museum's collection. Although pieced quilts were popular in England in the eighteenth century, the technique did not catch on in America until the nineteenth century, as increased leisure time made quiltmaking more popular. Elizabeth Clarkson probably made the quilt as a wedding present for her son Thomas in about 1830.

Viola varnish

Neil’s viola has varnish, which, like other instruments of this kind, are one of the most complex cocktails in the world - beeswax and propolis are key ingredients to this natural blend and work to decrease the brittleness of the resin. This type of "flexible" finish is needed not only to protect the string instrument but also to preserve its resonance.

KEEPER logo

The logo for the ‘Keeper’ project was inspired by bee hive geometry.

Why hexagons?

From the Greek origin of ‘hex’ for six, what is it about six-sided-ness that’s so compelling? Or so good? Click the link below for an easy read article on the matter.