Lucas Michailidis

Elevating the guitar to the status of an orchestra!

“MOVEMENT FOR FIVE GUITARS evokes wonder, a shift in perspective and a suspension of time.”

Despite being the most popular instrument in the world, the guitar is often relegated to the position of accompaniment.  As a solo fingerstyle guitarist, Michailidis has dedicated his practice to bringing the instrument to the foreground. With his unusual new work, Movement For Five Guitars, he realises a long-held vision of elevating the guitar to the status of an orchestra. Exploiting the instrument’s mobility, five guitarists are radio-miked, free of the usual cables and amps. Their stepping and position-shifting in combination with dynamic rhythmic, creates a sensation best described as kinetic sound sculpture.

Lucas' premiered the new composition in a dynamic performance via a Banyule Arts and Cultural Project Grant. The performances brought contemporary music to the everyday, re-energising public spaces in a range of open-air Banyule locations: The Ivanhoe Library and Cultural Hub, the Bell Street Mall and at the launch of the Banyule Open Studios.