Curating Vinyl For the Institute of Modern Art

In November last year, the Institute of Modern Art invited me to consign a curated selection of 150 vinyl records to the IMA Store. What began as a simple request from Gallery Co‑ordinator Shae Craze quickly expanded into an independent line of inquiry — a chance to reconsider my own understanding of ambient, avant‑garde, and experimental music within the context of local practice, vinyl culture, and the classical tradition.

Curating Vinyl for the Institute of Modern Art Part 1: Returning to the Archive

It also became an opportunity to rediscover what lay dormant within Glitter Records’ extensive vinyl archive. Preparing the consignment meant returning to the shop, the warehouse, and the digital Discogs master list with a fresh perspective. I kept thinking about the avant‑garde and electronic traditions that shape so much of the IMA’s program, and how they might connect with Glitter Record’s own holdings — more than 57,000 titles, including 11,000 vinyl albums, many long forgotten and waiting to be heard again.

As I assembled the collection, I began writing down reflections. The note that follows captures some of the thinking behind the selection, why these artists are represented, and the quiet ways music and art speak to one another.

I share these thoughts — and the records linked to them — for anyone curious about how music and contemporary art meet. They are for people who move between galleries and record shops, and for those looking for simple ways into the avant‑garde. I hope my thinking helps those who care about Brisbane’s cultural history and future. As well as anyone who values clear and generous curatorial work.

Curating Vinyl for the Institute of Modern Art Part 2: Notes on Feeling, Archives, and the Avant‑Garde

Music often offers more than the words we attach to it—more than melody, chords, timbre, texture, era, or genre. Its poetry lies beyond these markers, in nuances that slip past the edges of what can be defined with words. Often, a sound recording conveys emotion too vast and fast for explanation. For this reason, my role, as I see it, here, is not to reduce music to fixed meaning but to connect people with a state of feeling beyond what they have known. A record store, approached in this way, becomes a kind of poetry.

At Shalee Craze’s invitation to consign a selection of records to the IMA Store, I revisit the Glitter Records archive to bring forward the unexpected, the radical, the surprising, and the profound. While exploring, I find myself reading the liner notes of a Decca recording of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. I am struck by its informal creation—a canonical masterpiece shaped by looseness rather than convention, guided by an “overall effect” and a sense of organic growth. That looseness of expression—shared by Stravinsky and echoed across many records here—resonates strongly with what I want to express.

Collected over more than half a century and from many parts of the world, this family of records emerges through careful intention, deep learning, and playful serendipity. Its meaning unfolds slowly through time.

Private collections fascinate me, but my view is that records find their fullest expression when placed in dialogue with people and place, as they will be at the IMA. This is a small library assembled with care and intent, a bridge between the institutional mission of the IMA, the philosophy of Glitter Records, and the restless spirit of the avant‑garde.

Curating Vinyl for the Institute of Modern Art Part 3: The Four Pillars of the Selection

1. Local Avant‑Garde Artists 

Inspired by the Sound Offering series of vinyl records I first discovered at the IMA Shop, I chose to include a diverse selection of Brisbane/Meanjin experimental musicians. To me, they embody our city’s living, breathing avant‑garde. These records remind us that innovation grows locally just as much as it does abroad or in the past.

1. Alieonix – Message to the Future
2. Andrew Butt Trio+ – Peregian
3. Charlie Hill – Yore
4. Cloud Tangle – Dreaming Again
5. Cloud Tangle – Kinds of Sadness
6. David Versace – Eye to Eye
7. Devotions – Pusher
8. Endless Valley – Kaskashir
9. Glitter Veils – Figures in Sight
10. Guppy – 777antasy
11. hedfog – Mind Making
12. Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra – Forest Party
13. Sampology – Regrowth
14. Sampology & Charlie Hill – Galaxy
15. Scraps – New World
16. The Rational Academy – Winter Haunts
17. Ultra Material – Cosmic Anti Stuff
18. Various – Gazed and Bemused: Hazy Sounds from the Brisbane Underground (Blue)
19. Various – Gazed and Bemused: Hazy Sounds from the Brisbane Underground (Pink)

2. Ambient and Electronic Explorations

Here, instruments and electronic production take centre stage. Technology, electricity, and sound design shape the music. These records build atmosphere, explore new textures, set moods, and spark imagination. In many cases, there is no clear precedent for what they attempt. They arise from new tools, new creators, and new ways of thinking.

1. Chris Hinze – Meditation and Mantras
2. Fumio – Arion
3. George Harrison – Electronic Sound
4. James Ellis Ford – The Hum
5. Jon & Vangelis – The Friends of Mr. Cairo
6. Ken Muramatsu – Winter Music
7. Laurie Johnson – Synthesis
8. Rick Powell – Switched‑On‑Country
9. Sea Fever – Special Australian Edition
10. Snakefinger – Greener Postures
11. Steven Halpern / Georgia Kelly – Ancient Echoes
12. The London Philharmonic Orchestra – A Sound Spectacular Stereo Space Odyssey
13. Tomita – Firebird
14. Tomita – Snowflakes Are Dancing
15. Tomita – The Firebird
16. Tomita – Tomita’s Greatest Hits
17. Various – An Invitation to Windham Hill
18. Various – Beat This! The Album
19. Various – Blade Runner: Black Lotus OST
20. Various – CD‑4 Sound Special Vol. II Exodus
21. Videotapemusic – Souvenir
22. Virgin VS – Norimono Deluxe
23. Walter Carlos – By Request
24. Windham Hill Artists – The Story of Naomi Uemura
25. YMO – BGM
26. Ειρήνη Παπά / Βαγγέλης Παπαθανασίου – Ωδές
27. すぎやま こういち – You & Me

3. Records Opening the Door to the Avant‑Garde

Bach, Bartók, Stravinsky, Mahler, Berg, Prokofiev, and others show how restless, radical minds became launch points for departures from the familiar. Many of these works helped push music from late‑Romantic expansion into the modernist era, where composers challenged traditional harmony, form, and expression. Interpreters and conductors carried these shifts forward, reshaping the orthodox into the unorthodox and creating paradigm shifts that spoke to their own time and, with increasing force, to the generations that followed.

Some transformations were bold; others were subtle. Grieg and Ravel’s late piano works, for example, gesture toward ideas that would later be fully realised by innovators such as Debussy, whose harmonic language and timbral experiments helped open the door to modernism. What unites this music is its endurance. There is a quiet gravity that draws listeners back, generation after generation. Bach’s fugues and Strauss’s monumental tone poems refuse entropy — moments of daring creation that remain vital. Others, like Bartók’s, sit naturally within the world of the avant‑garde.

*Although this list is mostly classical music, a few titles sit just outside that style. Catherine Ribeiro + 2 Bis, Katrina Krimsky & Trevor Watts, Ira Stein & Russel Walder, and even the more experimental side of Pat Metheny appear here because they all push beyond familiar musical forms. They are not a large enough group for their own list yet, but their spirit fits well with the modernist and boundary‑testing works gathered here. 

1. Alban Berg / Igor Stravinsky / Ivan Štraus / Zdeněk Kožina / Chamber Harmony, Prague / Libor Pešek – Kammerkonzert for Piano, Violin and 13 Wind Instruments / Symphonies for Wind Instruments
2. Bartók / Kodály – Concerto for Orchestra / Dances of Galánta
3. Béla Bartók / Yehudi Menuhin / Philharmonia Orchestra London / Wilhelm Furtwängler – Violinkonzert
4. Boulez Conducts Stravinsky / New York Philharmonic – The Firebird
5. Brahms – Schoenberg / Bach – Schoenberg / Symphonie‑Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Michael Tilson Thomas – Piano Quartet Op. 25 – Two Chorale Preludes
6. Brahms – Viola Sonatas
7. Brahms / Hans Richter‑Haaser / Berlin Philharmonic / Herbert von Karajan – Piano Concerto No. 2 in B‑Flat Major
8. Carl Orff / Arleen Augér / Jonathan Summers / John Van Kesteren / Philharmonia Chorus / Southend Boys’ Choir / Philharmonia Orchestra / Riccardo Muti – Carmina Burana
9. Carl Orff / Gunild Keetman – Street Song (Gassenhauer)
10. Carl Orff / Riccardo Muti – Carmina Burana
11. Catherine Ribeiro + 2 Bis – Catherine Ribeiro + 2 Bis
12. Charles Ives / Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra – Symphony No. 1 / Three Places in New England
13. Christian Larde / Marie‑Claire Jamet – Flute and Harp
14. Claude Debussy – A Debussy Hit Parade
15. Debussy / Ravel / Ibert / Charles Munch / Boston Symphony – Bolero / La Valse / Afternoon of a Faun / Escales
16. Debussy / Charles Munch / Orchestre National de l’ORTF – Charles Munch Conducts Debussy
17. Debussy / Philippe Entremont – Debussy for Piano
18. Dmitri Shostakovich – Lieder Op. 146 / Bratschensonate Op. 147
19. Erik Satie / Peter Lawson – Piano Music
20. Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra / Daniel Epstein – The Yellow River Concerto
21. Glenn Gould / Bach – The Well‑Tempered Clavier, Book I
22. Glenn Gould / Bach – The Well‑Tempered Clavier, Book II
23. Glière / Yuri Fayer / Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra – The Red Poppy (Excerpts)
24. Gustav Mahler / Česká Filharmonie / Karel Ančerl – Symphony No. 1 in D Major
25. Hindemith / Schoenberg / Stravinsky / Frederick Fennell / Eastman Wind Ensemble – Symphony in B‑Flat / Theme and Variations / Symphonies of Wind Instruments
26. Igor Stravinsky / Czech Philharmonic Chorus & Orchestra / Karel Ančerl – Oedipus Rex
27. Igor Stravinsky / Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion France / Igor Markevitch – Pulcinella / Le Baiser de la Fée
28. Ira Stein / Russel Walder – Elements
29. Isaac Stern / Eugene Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra – Prokofiev Violin Concertos No. 1 & 2
30. Ives / New York Philharmonic / Leonard Bernstein – Symphony No. 3 / Central Park in the Dark / Decoration Day / The Unanswered Question
31. Ives / Leopold Stokowski / American Symphony Orchestra – Symphony No. 4
32. Janáček / London Philharmonic / François Huybrechts – Taras Bulba / Lachian Dances
33. Janáček / Lutosławski – Sinfonietta / Concerto for Orchestra
34. Jehan Alain / Marie‑Claire Alain – Litanies / Trois Danses / Suite pour Orgue / Intermezzo / Le Jardin Suspendu
35. Kathleen Brady – To the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Colony: A Pianoforte Concert
36. Katrina Krimsky / Trevor Watts – Stella Malu
37. Kurt Weill / Ernö Dohnányi / Jerry Grossman / Diane Walsh – Sonatas for Cello and Piano
38. Los Angeles Clarinet Society – Los Angeles Clarinet Society
39. Louis Frémaux / City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra – Divertissement / Les Biches / Pacific 231 / Gymnopédies
40. Mahler / Berg – Symphony No. 5 / Wozzeck
41. Mahler / Vienna Philharmonic / Rafael Kubelik – Symphony No. 1 “Titan”
42. Manos Hadjidakis – Fifteen Vespers
43. Maurice Ravel / Bernard Kruysen / Noël Lee – Lieder / Melodies
44. Maurice Ravel – Maurice Ravel Plays Ravel
45. New Sydney Woodwind Quintet – Nielsen Quintet Op. 43 / Poulenc Sextet
46. Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays – As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls
47. Paul Hindemith / Lionel Rogg – Les Trois Sonates pour Orgue
48. Philharmonische Cellisten Köln – Folge 3
49. Prokofiev / Cleveland Orchestra / Lorin Maazel – Romeo & Juliet Highlights
50. Prokofiev / Kyung‑Wha Chung / London Symphony / André Previn – Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
51. Prokofiev / Saint‑Saëns / Efrem Kurtz / Philharmonia Orchestra – Peter and the Wolf / Carnival of the Animals
52. Ravel – The World of Ravel
53. Ravel / Concertgebouw Orchestra / Bernard Haitink – Rapsodie Espagnole / Menuet Antique / Alborada del Gracioso / Valses Nobles et Sentimentales
54. Ravel / Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal / Charles Dutoit – Bolero / Rapsodie Espagnole / La Valse / Alborada del Gracioso
55. Respighi – The Birds / Three Botticelli Pictures
56. Respighi / Ormandy / Philadelphia Orchestra – Fountains of Rome / Pines of Rome
57. Richard Strauss – Alpine Symphony, Op. 64
58. Richard Strauss / Philadelphia Orchestra / Eugene Ormandy – Also Sprach Zarathustra
59. Richard Strauss / Joseph Silverstein / Boston Symphony / Seiji Ozawa – Also Sprach Zarathustra
60. Rimsky‑Korsakov / Prokofiev / Liadov / Royal Philharmonic / Efrem Kurtz – Capriccio Espagnol / Overture on Hebrew Themes / Kikimora / The Enchanted Lake / A Musical Snuff Box / Baba Yaga
61. Rodrigo / John Zaradin / Philomusica of London / Guy Barbier – Concierto de Aranjuez
62. Schoenberg / Anja Silja / Wiener Philharmoniker / Christoph von Dohnányi – Erwartung / 6 Lieder Op. 8
63. Schönberg / Ilona Steingruber / Vladimir Golschmann – Pierrot Lunaire
64. Shostakovich – Symphony No. 13 “Babi Yar”
65. Shostakovich – The Execution of Stepan Razin / Symphony No. 9
66. Shostakovich – Symphony No. 8
67. Shostakovich – Symphony No. 14 Op. 135
68. Shostakovich – Symphony No. 13 “Babi Yar” (ASD 2893)
69. Stravinsky / Sir Eugene Goossens / London Symphony – Petrouchka
70. Stravinsky – Symphony in Three Movements / Ebony Concerto
71. Stravinsky / London Symphony / Sir Eugene Goossens – The Rite of Spring
72. Stravinsky / Ernest Ansermet / L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande – The Firebird
73. Stravinsky / London Philharmonic / Leinsdorf – The Rite of Spring
74. Stravinsky / Markevitch / Philharmonia Orchestra – Rite of Spring
75. Stravinsky / Vienna Philharmonic / Lorin Maazel – Le Sacre du Printemps
76. The New York Woodwind Quintet – Jean Françaix: Quintet for Winds / Paul Taffanel: Quintet for Winds
77. Various – The Fenby Legacy: Music of Delius
78. Various – À la Recherche du Temps de Proust
79. Widor / Bach – Toccata: Great Organ Works
80. Zoltán Kodály / Philharmonia Hungarica / Antal Dorati – The Orchestral Works Vol. 1

4. “Non‑Music”—Surprising, Unexpected, and Eclectic Inclusions

In the digital age, vinyl takes on new meaning. As media theorist Lisa Gitelman notes, older objects like records no longer “do the job” of digital media, yet they retain a distinctive value — sometimes simply because they feel strangely out of place in our contemporary world. Hi‑fi demonstration discs, beachside recordings of waves, quadraphonic spectaculars, speech‑training records — all were once practical tools with clear purposes. Today, their meanings have shifted. What was once functional now reads as curious, eccentric, or unexpectedly poetic.

1. Akiko Kitagawa – Little Piano Concert in Full Dimensional CD‑4
2. Alfred Drake Reads Omar Khayyam & Matthew Arnold – The Rubaiyat and Sohrab and Rustum
3. Blue Seas Grand Orchestra – Poetry of the Seas
4. John Borwick – The Enjoyment of Stereo & How to Get the Best Out of Your Record Playing Equipment
5. John Clements – Poems by Judith Wright
6. John Lennon / Yoko Ono – Heart Play: Unfinished Dialogue
7. Melvin J. Gunton & Brian Skinner – The Fortunes of Libra
8. Monty Python – Another Monty Python Record
9. No Artist – Australian Hi‑Fi Stereo Check‑Out Record
10. Peter Thomson – Golf
11. Scott, Foresman and Company – Speech in Action
12. Various – King Records Japan Stereo Sampler
13. Various – Miracle in Sound – The Festival Stereo Sampler
14. Various – Otto Quadsonic Stereo Record Demonstration Vol. 3
15. Various – Supersonic Quadraphonic Sound Spectacular
16. Various – The North Shore Dreamin’
17. Various – Zen, Goeika & Shomyo Chants
18. Various – Sounds of Silence – The Most Intriguing Silences in Recording History!
19. Victor CD‑4 Sounds Orchestra – Golden Screen Theme – Excellent CD‑4 Sound

Final Thoughts On Curating Vinyl for the Institute of Modern Art Store