RECORDINGS
KIANGARDARUP (2024)
The new album of Robert Zielinski has been recently awarded three silver medals at the Global Music Awards.
"Robert Zielinski has given us a masterpiece that is as much a tribute to his West Australian home as it is to the enduring spirit of Irish traditional music." Stevie Connor, The Sound Cafe, Canada.
"Kiangardarup [...] offers listeners a rare and immersive experience, a tribute to the symbiosis of music, craft, and the natural world." Angel Romero, World Music Central, USA.
KIANGARDARUP is an hour long original piece composed by Robert Zielinski, for violin, wooden flute, cello and bouzouki. Kiangardarup is one of the original Minang names for the country around the Torbay Inlet in Western Australia’s Great Southern region.
Robert lived in Torbay for several years, making violins, including his own. As soon as he had finished making his violin, the piece came to light. The music came from deeply listening to this place. Being a traditional Irish musician and having learnt by ear in the oral tradition, Robert composed the Suite without a score, only sound. He worked for more than six years on this project.
KIANGARDARUP takes the listener on a journey, from the awakening dawn through the heat of the day, to dusk and a still night spent under the Karri forest and stars. This journey finishes by the coals and flames of a campfire.
Robert recorded his violin parts outside at the upper and lower Torbay Inlet and West Cape Howe National Park. This was an extremely long process that took nearly two years, recording in low wind in between rain, frogs, crows,... These recordings were then brought to Lee Buddle's Crank Recording studio in Perth, where the other instrumental parts were meticulously added: Melinda Forsythe on cello, Manuela Centanni on wooden flute, Jim Green on bouzouki.
A unique bonus track with Noongar man Ken Hayward on didgeridoo was added in the last phases of production. The album then ended up on the desk of senior mastering engineer Andrew Walter, of the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London.
KIANGARDARUP premiered in the Perth Concert Hall in May 2024, receiving a standong ovation. The Album was launched in the Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of Western Australia in November 2024.
In March 2025, for KIANGARDARUP, Robert was awarded three silver medals - outstanding achievement at the Global Music Awards for World Music, Instrumentalist, Sound Editing/Mixing.
Digital album and physical copies available in Store!
THE DAY DAWN (2024)
THE DAY DAWN has been the culmination of over 25 years of making music and it is true to say that so much of Robert's life until today is contained in this little tiny disc. So many friends, stories and memories are associated with this music. The first recordings were made in Ireland when he was 23 years old, and the last one in 2024 in Australia. Six different fiddles, two of which he made, and a viola were used on this album.
The original THE DAY DAWN was released in 2018, but Robert felt he didn’t do justice to it. He took the same concept of using old recordings and expanded the idea. He tried to pick performances where the tunes came to life. This is something that he is constantly striving to do in his playing.
Only five of the original 2018 tracks now remain, with 10 new tracks added. Notably, one with Sliabh Luachra fiddle player Paddy Jones (RIP) and Tim O’Shea, and three tracks with Mick Doherty (RIP). Mick lilting “The Hills of Glenorchy” when he was 89 years old is a very special track for Robert, a memory of the great times they had together.
For THE DAY DAWN, Robert was twice finalist at the 2024 AFMA awards.
Digital download and physical copies available in Store!
OUT WEST (2012)
In 2012 Mick Doherty and Robert Zielinski released their album OUT WEST to help preserve the musical legacy of Mick's family, in particular, some previously unheard versions of tunes handed down by Mick's father Hughie and grandfather Mickey Mor. This album was produced by The National Library of Australia and launched at Fairbridge Festival when Mick was 88 years old.
Digital download available on Bandcamp.
OTHER PAST RELEASES:
Robert's playing also features on four other releases: AIDEN CRUISE AND ROB STAFFORD (Zielinski) (1990), Tim O'Shea & Friends - FAIR DAWNING (1999), Tim O'Shea & Friends - 15 TIMES AROUND (2006), and Sam Blight - THE BOYA HOUSE (2010).