Experience symmetry

Annual Nesbit Endowed Lecture: Experience symmetry

Perhaps no mathematical principle is as inextricably linked to beauty and elegance in the world around us than symmetry. We see it beautifully reflected in nature, in art, in architecture – even in human form and function.

Join Associate Professor Artem Pulemotov from School of Mathematics and Physics for a unique exploration of the mathematical principle of symmetry, together with Associate Professor Denis Collins from UQ's School of Music, and brought to life with a special performance from Topology.

Associate Professor Artem Pulemotov, UQ School of Mathematics and Physics

Artem Pulemotov completed his PhD in Mathematics at Cornell University and later served as an L.E. Dickson Instructor at the University of Chicago. Artem has held visiting positions at institutions including The University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University. He has received over $1M in Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grants for his research in geometric analysis. He joined the University of Queensland in 2012.

Associate Professor Denis Collins, UQ School of Music

Denis Collins holds BMus and BA degrees from University College Dublin. He was a Fulbright Scholar at Stanford University where he was awarded MA and PhD degrees in musicology. His research is on counterpoint and canon in music from the late Middle Ages to the time of J.S. Bach, and his publications have appeared in many international books and journals. Denis’s research has been supported by major national competitive grants from the Australian Research Council. An enthusiastic and committed lecturer, Denis coordinates and teaches courses in musicianship, counterpoint, and music history at UQ. He also supervises Honours and postgraduate students on a wide variety of topics. Denis is the editor of the journal Musicology Australia, and he is an Associate Professor and the Deputy Head of School at the UQ School of Music.

Dr Robert Davidson, UQ School of Music

Robert Davidson is a prolific composer, bassist, lecturer and founder and artistic director of Topology, the ensemble-in-residence at the Brisbane Powerhouse and a Key Organisation funded by the Australia Council. Robert’s compositions are regularly performed, recorded and broadcast around the world. All of Australia’s professional orchestras and many leading soloists and ensembles have commissioned and performed his works. He has received many commissions for major works from festivals and venues including the Barbican Centre, Lincoln Center, Qld Music Festival, Brisbane Festival, Sydney Festival, Olympics Arts Festival, Canberra International Music Festival and many others. With Topology he has released twelve albums and a DVD. He has collaborated widely, with artists including Geoffrey Rush, The Brodsky Quartet, The Kransky Sisters, Gerry Connolly, Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan, Ed Kuepper, the Southern Cross Soloists, Trichotomy and The Australian Voices.

Therese Milanovic, Topology

Theresa Milanovic became a part of Topology in 2009. Besides her work with Topology, Therese is in demand as both performer and pedagogue. She has performed at the Brisbane Festival, Queensland Music Festival, Singapore Arts Festival, Salihara Arts Festival (Indonesia), Darwin Festival, Lincoln Center (NYC), and on tour in the Netherlands and Belgium with the Kransky Sisters. She also adores performing chamber music, bringing both traditional and lesser-known repertoire to the stage. Therese was the first Australian to become a Taubman Instructor, the focus of her PhD, and is a Master level teacher and Associate Faculty with the Golandsky Institute (USE). She works with pianists from across Australia and internationally.

John Babbage, Topology

John Babbage, a founding member of Topology, is a renowned saxophonist and composer. He graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with a Diploma in Jazz in 1987 and has been performing and teaching for over 30 years. John has toured Australia, Europe, the US, Canada, India, Singapore and Indonesia, releasing 16 albums. His compositions have been performed worldwide, with commissions for works like R&J (Expressions Dance Company), Argus (Dead Puppet Society) and Ocean’s Skin (Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre, USA). John has collaborated with artists such as Terry Riley, Kate Miller-Heidke and The Brodsky Quartet. He is a key figure in Topology’s Top Up education program, delivering improvisation and composition workshops in regional communities across Australia.

Christa Powell, Topology

Highly respected performance musician, collaborative artist and music educator, Christa Powell is as comfortable lending her talents to an orchestra as she is in character wardrobe, playing on stage with Led Zeppelin or playing solo violin as an integral part of the choreography in Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre. Christa is a founding member and director of Topology, one of Australia’s leading creative arts organisations. As well as creating the award-winning program Top Up, Christa has managed the day-to-day business of Topology over the past two decades, molding, shaping and refining the organisation into the respected arts organisation it is today. After completing BMusHons, Christa spent several years in London with Emmanuel Herwitz of the Melos Ensemble and playing with the Olyver Gypsy Ensemble. Returning to Brisbane, Christa obtained her Master of Music in performance research in 1996 before co-founding Topology in 1997. Outsideof Topology, Christa performs a wide range of chamber music, her long held passion. She plays with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, guests for visiting international acts and teaches violin privately and at various educational institutions.

Topology

Established in 1997, Brisbane-based Topology are established leaders in musical creativity in Australia, prolific creators of new original work, expert collaborators across genres and art forms and award-winning music educators. With a well-established reputation for their signature work, the quintet experiments with surprising combinations of genres, theatrical staging and cross art form collaboration to create thought provoking music experiences for audiences of all ages, backgrounds and tastes. Resident Artist at Brisbane Powerhouse for 18 years, Topology has an extensive discography, produced countless evening-length works, presented an award-winning concert series, and toured extensively nationally and internationally.

About the Annual Nesbit Endowed Lecture

The Annual Nesbit Endowed Lecture was established to honour Dr John Nesbit and is supported through his generous contribution to the School of Mathematics and Physics. A University of Queensland Medicine alumnus, Dr Nesbit had a deep love of mathematics and was ever an aspiring mathematician.