Ria Soemardjo is a Naarm based musician with a passion for intercultural collaborations across diverse genres and artforms. She creates and performs music for independent contemporary dance and theatre in Australia and Asia. A sought-after collaborator, her evocative soundscapes are often performed live using voice, gamelan, frame drums and her own hand-crafted clay flutes and drums. Her distinct, haunting vocal style reflects her Australian/Javanese heritage and a deep appreciation for Balinese and Javanese gamelan traditions. Ria has been a member of Gamelan DanAnda since its inception and has worked with the core leaders for over 20 years. She continues to perform Javanese vocal repertoire around Australia.

Many of Ria’s works develop contemporary performance/rituals in response to natural or urban sites. Recent projects include Ngayomi (with Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal), excerpted at Marrugeku’s Contested Lands forum (2023); processional works for Chinatown and the Mission to Seafarers; guided audio walks Murmuring Lake and Swallow Walk; and Of Frogs (Darebin FUSE 2022), featuring her handmade sound sculptures.

Ria received a 2024 Green Room nomination for The Swallows (with Helen Mountfort). Other credits include Ros Warby’s Tower Suites (Green Room Award), Enfold and Opal Vapour. Recent highlights include the sold-out OzAsia Saudara Sound System (Joelistics/GDA), a Melbourne Recital Centre album launch, a La Mama season of Surat-Suratnya, and the third album release with her trio Fine Blue Thread.