Carmen Warrington is a creative artist working across several artforms. Her intention in all her work is to uplift and inspire. Her speciality is the calming effect of sound. Born in England she moved to Australia in the late sixties. She lives in Melbourne with her life-partner and musical collaborator, award-winning drummer/percussionist David Jones.
Actress
Carmen graduated from NIDA in 1982 and has worked in theatre (including Nimrod, Hunter Valley and Toe Truck Theatre Companies), in film, TV (including The Wrong Girl, Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Stingers, GP, A Country Practice and fan favourite Prisoner), radio and voice-overs.
In 2012, Carmen was invited by author Stephanie Dowrick to narrate “Choosing Happiness” for Bolinda Audio Books.
Author
In 2002, Carmen turned her talents to writing, and is the best-selling author of two inspirational and best-selling books, published by Hachette-Australia. Titles are ‘Today I Will…’ and ‘Today I Am…’
Meditation Artist
Often referred to as “The Voice of Peace”, Carmen has a large and loyal international following for her meditation recordings. Her calming voice and artistic delivery-style, her poetic lyrics and soothing music all contribute to the effectiveness and popularity of her work. She has written and recorded dozens of spoken CDs.
In 2010 she was commissioned by ABC Music to record a series of 8 meditation CDs, titled the “Meditations for Life” series. Along with writing the lyrics and music, she was also the recording engineer for this two-year project.
She was invited by the very successful Insight Timer App to be one of their meditation teachers.
Many youtubers have created videos from Carmen’s audio recordings, collecting well over a million views.
Musician
Carmen has collaborated musically with David Jones since 1991, presenting their music in NSW, QLD, SA, Tasmania and Victoria, as well as India and Japan. A highlight event in Japan was performing their duo “I Play, You Say” at Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa’s Percussion Festival, under the directorship of Maestro Iwaki, in 1996.
For 9 years in their jazz-fusion band AtmaSphere Carmen was “vocussionist” – a term coined for her rhythmic and percussive use of voice and text.
In 1995 the band received a Mo Award Nomination for Jazz Group Of The Year.
AtmaSphere performed at The Basement and The Harbourside Brasserie, the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Mullumbimby Festival, and in 2000 was invited to open the second room at Melbourne’s Bennett’s Lane Jazz Club. The band was featured nationally in a one hour concert, broadcast in January 1992 on ABC’s “Sunday Live” program.
AtmaSphere collaborated with Australian musicians (Don Burrows, Roger Frampton, Steve Hunter, Greg Sheehan, Bronwyn Kirkpatrick, Synergy) as well as USA’s Pulitzer prize-winning poet Yusuf Komunyakaa, with whom Carmen performed several duets during the concerts.
“… this is critically acclaimed eclectic ambient fusion … powerful and full of humour … this is truly an incredible outfit … the atmospherics wander into Phillip Glass territory … a real treat.”
London Rhythms Magazine
“Carmen’s execution of rhythms that would challenge accomplished instrumentalists is very impressive. She really knows how to engage the audience by using the best of the art of theatre.”
Mark Isaacs, pianist and composer
In the band David Jones and Friends, Carmen has performed in concert with wonderful artists including James Morrison at Stonnington Jazz 2010, David Hirschfelder, Michael Johnson, Megan Kenny and Evri Evripidou.
She led the recording project Shimmer, and in collaboration with Peter Northcote wrote songs investigating the depths of the human psyche.
In 2009 MSO violinist Sarah Curro invited Carmen to join her in concert, narrating Haiku poetry set to music – both at the Abbotsford Convent and again at the Castlemaine Music Festival.
Festival Director Fiona Burnett included Carmen in the 2001 Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival.
Recording Artist
AtmaSphere released 2 CD’s – ‘Flying’ (with guests Mike Nock and Don Burrows) and ‘Seasons of the Heart’.
In 1994 ‘Flying’ was nominated for ARIA Jazz Album Of The Year.
Carmen is a featured guest on the CD “Meditations on Love” and her track was selected to appear in a new compilation album released by ABC Music, entitled “The Rhythm Divine”.
Carmen has performed on recordings by other artists (Megan Kenny, Joy-Joy, Susie Nelson-Smith) as well as recording her own music.
She and David released their first Soundbath recording in 2002 – ‘The Hour of Nectar’.
In 2013 she wrote and recorded the songs for her solo CD ‘Angel Songs’.
“Beautiful music from a beautiful soul.”
James Morrison
Soundbaths
Carmen has presented soundbaths since 2000. A soundbath is an extremely relaxing musical event where audience members are invited to lie down and enter a state of deep listening. Carmen has presented soundbaths around Melbourne and also regional Victoria, including Hall’s Gap, Hamilton, Bet Bet, Euroa, Port Fairy, Port Campbell, at the “Art Is … Festival (Horsham) etc.
She works solo and also presents collaborative soundbaths with musicians including Nicholas Ng (erhu, chinese flute), Megan Kenny (flute, keys), Michael Johnson (harp), David Jones (percussion) and Evri Evripidou (guitar, bass), Roderick McLeod (kora).
Carmen’s instruments include sung and spoken vocals, Alchemy Quartz crystal singing bowls, Japanese and Tibetan singing bowls, bamboo chimes, ting sha’s and bells, gongs and Reverie harp.
“I felt like I’ve been nurtured … loved … it was beautiful …”
Audience member, August 2018
“The Sound Bath I experience from Carmen is like no other I have attended. Carmen guides us on a journey that is so unique and deeply nourishing for the body, mind and soul. The sounds of the bowls and other instruments are very pure, I can feel they vibrate through me, always leaving me feeling clear and refreshed, relaxed and energised at the same time. Carmen’s voice is profoundly powerful and healing. I always feel taken care of and in a safe place where I can just let go all that I want to release and be still and open to new energy. The atmosphere she creates is very warm, calming and peaceful, and her energy is pure love and serenity. I highly recommend it.”
Blandina, Yoga Teacher