Claire Edwardes is the sort of musician who will walk into a plumbing supply shop and leave with a handful of musical instruments.
She is not only one of Australia's finest percussionists but also relentlessly innovative in finding objects that work as part of an orchestra.
"I've spent a lot of my career collecting metal pieces and metal objects that sound great," she said.
"You wouldn't think a hammer head, a big bolt, or a wrench would sound good when you hit it, but a lot of them do.
"They don't look much, but they sound really effective, and they have a sound associated with building or making something."
Edwardes's love for turning tools into instruments is the perfect preparation for her latest collaborative work.
She will be the featured artist for the world premiere of a new concerto called Steeling Fire, which has been written by Australian composer Natalie Williams.
The work pays homage to the women who fought for the right to work at the Port Kembla steelworks in Wollongong in 1980.
The metal objects she has collected over the years will feature in her performance.
Passion for women's issues and new music
The collaboration with Wollongong group Steel City Strings combines two of Edwardes's passions — new music and gender equality.
After being told there were no jobs for women at the Port Kembla steelworks in the early 80s to the mid-90s, a group of women began a campaign against BHP, which was Australia's most powerful company at the time.
Their complaint of sex discrimination at work ended in a High Court victory and a landmark moment in Australian industrial law.
"This has been a long time in the works, but when I was first approached I did a lot of research and reading and watched videos to get an idea of what the music could be like," Edwardes said.
"At the same time, the Women of Steel documentary came out, so that was helpful to give a deep and full context for the story and the feeling and sonic energy around what it could be."
Excitement of a new work
The concerto will be part of a concert called Women in Steel to be performed in Wollongong and Berry later this month.
"It suits me very well when they mentioned this was the theme they wanted to follow," Edwardes said.
"Collaboration is at the core of what I'm about as a musician, and everything we do is about working with other people and the two-way stream of what it is to make music.
"You have a composer, the group and me, so there's mystery and doubt and you never know what a new piece will be like, and that frisson and energy makes for an exciting premiere as well."
Steel City String artistic director Kyle Little says it is an honour to work with such a highly regarded percussionist.
"We are delighted that Claire will bring her unique talents to these concerts in Wollongong and Berry as guest soloist with Steel City Strings," he said.
"She has played everywhere from major European concert halls to ABC's Play School to the Sydney Opera House."
