The Birth and Death of Stars

★★★★ “A world where the past is ever-present and music knows no borders” Courier Mail

“Pauline Maudy has the voice of an angel” Sounds of Oz

“[a] sizzling sextet of sound-sorcerers… a magic-carpet ride spanning seven continents, six languages, at least fifteen centuries, and a dozen or so musical and poetic traditions.” Weekend Notes

“When you see Mzaza, you will definitely want to get up and groove.” Stage Whispers

“MZAZA have been a real revelation … They are just amazing!” SBS Radio

“an engaging, sophisticated, and meditative production” The Westender

“The moods curated by MZAZA sway and bound, frolic and hunt, gathering wayward cosmic energy and serving ‘Stardust’ on a saucer. “Just a cloud of stellar dust, the Milky Way as my gown.” Scenestr

“MZAZA were like a rich blend of something delicious and exotic I used to eat before it vanished from earth” Australian Arts Review

Key Audiences

Key Audiences:

Primary ticket buyers are women 35+
Attendees often come to the show with friends or a partner.

The show appeals to audiences who:

• Have attended world music events in the past
• Enjoy folk music
• Travel
• Are curious about other cultures
• Come from CaLD backgrounds
• Have an interest in French language and culture
• Enjoy theatrical shows
• Have an interest in new music

It also appeals to schools with language and music programs.

This is an excellent work to generate new audiences, with over 35% of previous ticket holders from the last tour being new to a world music event.

Good to Know

• Multiple award nominations and wins
• Strong music education links
• Excellent word-of-mouth activation

Accessibility

Auslan – speak to us about including an Auslan performer at your venue. Advance notice is required as the multi-language nature of the show requires additional preparation.

The touring musicians are experienced teachers and workshop facilitators and have a wealth of experience in designing and delivering community engagement activities. The team have experience as classroom, instrumental, and language teachers, community engagement consultants, arts producers and music therapists. Participants are often invited to perform a song with the band towards the end of the show.

Workshops can be targeted towards primary and high schools, emerging artists of all ages, adult music groups, language learners, cultural groups, groups with a lived experience of mental health or disability, and seniors.

AVAILABLE WORKSHOPS

• World music singing for all levels (can include French, Ladino and Bulgarian material)
• World music workshops for instrumentalists
• Musical collaboration and song development
• Storytelling: explore your ancestry with MZAZA
• Schools – interactive show
• Schools – vocal or instrumental workshop (can include performance outcomes)
• Cultural connections workshop (for example with refugee groups)
• Professional Development  – workshops for emerging artists and cultural workers
• One on one mentoring (music, performance, community engagement or arts career coaching)

AWARDS

Finalist – Best Folk Album, 2021 – Australian Folk Music Awards
Winner – Best Song (World), 2021 – Qld Music Awards
Finalist – Best World Song, 2020 – Qld Music Awards
Winner – Best World Song, 2016 – Qld Music Awards
Winner – Best World Song, 2015 – Qld Music Awards

PREVIOUS SEASONS

2020
Brisbane Festival – The Tivoli
Ipswich Civic Centre
Toowoomba Empire Church Theatre
Venue 114 Sunshine Coast
Moncrieff Entertainment Centre
MECC – Lynette Denny Space
Diggers Entertainment Centre Hughenden
Charters Towers
Emerald Town Hall
Yeppoon Town Hall

2021
Brisbane Powerhouse

PRESS

• Review – Australian Arts Review
• Review – Stage Whispers
• Review – Scenestr
• Album Review – Songlines UK
• Interview with Matilda Marseillaise

Three-time Queensland Music Award winners MZAZA deliver Balkan-French inspired sounds to folk lovers internationally. Led by enchanting French-Sephardic vocalist Pauline Maudy, this group of musicians from around the world has been mesmerising audiences with powerful and inspired performances.

The impressive musicianship of MZAZA – deftly realised with accordion, violin, percussion, double bass and Flamenco guitar – embraces diversity, the old and the new, the familiar and the foreign, through timeless melodies. It is the timelessness of the music and stories that fuels an intense live show, an unforgettable musical journey, that has enraptured audiences at MONA FOMA, Queensland Music Festival, Cygnet, National and Woodford Folk Festivals, and visited airwaves and venues internationally. Jaw-dropping technique, unique compositions and captivating shows have earned MZAZA supports for the likes of the Violent Femmes (USA) Yasmin Levy (Israel), Melbourne Ska Orchestra (AUS), Baba Zula and Baro Banda (Turkey), and DJ Click (France).

In 2020 MZAZA released their third studio album, The Birth & Death of Stars, described by Songlines Magazine as “a supernova of an album”. Recorded at Sierra Studios in Athens, Greece, the twelve-track album is accompanied by a critically acclaimed theatre show devised by lead singer Pauline Maudy in collaboration with director Benjamin Knapton (Circa).