By Afia Khan
Westsiders are being treated to a cinematic shopping experience in Salvos stores throughout the Brimbank municipality thanks to an award-winning composer.
A series of free piano concerts from music composer and fellow Westsider Ania Reynolds kicks off in April offering an op-shopping experience like no other.
Reynolds, whose hometown is in Sunshine, believes the arts need to be spread across all suburbs of Melbourne.
Thanks to funding from the City of Brimbank’s Creative Brimbank program, her Allegro Non Oppo performances will be showcased in Salvo stores in Deer Park, Taylors Lakes, Sunshine, and Derrimut.
“There are some parts of Melbourne where every second shop on the street might have an exhibition or music or something, and that’s really cool,” says Reynolds. “But it’s important to spread it around and make sure that people from all suburbs of all areas can access and enjoy these things.”
Previously playing in op shops in Fitzroy and St Kilda, Reynolds believes the West is vibrant and is excited to bring her Allegro Non Oppo to the streets she grew up in.
Reynolds’ philosophy is that the arts should be accessible to all people and she’s also interested in music being presented in unusual places, like an op shop for example.
“At an op shop, anyone could be there. There could be someone who’s a career musician or there’s someone who sort of goes, oh, you know, I don’t play music, but I like this”
Ania Reynolds extends an invitation to come as you are, or perhaps bring an instrument to help provide a soundtrack to your op shopping.
“Playing in environments where there is the opportunity for meeting lots of new people from all walks of life and being able to interact with them spontaneously is what my work’s all about.”
