Luka Lesson (Stage name for Luke Haralampou) is an Australian

slam poet A poetry slam is a competitive art event in which poets perform spoken word poetry before a live audience and a panel of judges. While formats can vary, slams are often loud and lively, with audience participation, cheering and dramatic delivery. ...

. He won the Australian Poetry Slam in 2011 and has been described by Charlie Dark as "a young

Saul Williams Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, poet, writer, and actor. He is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, and for his lead roles in the 1998 independent film ''Slam'' ...

" in reference to his composition and delivery of poetry in providing social commentary.

Early life

Lesson grew up in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

. His family is

Greek Australian Greek Australians ( el, Ελληνοαυστραλοί, ) are Australians of Greek ancestry. Greek Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Greek diaspora. As per the 2021 census, 424,750 people stated that they had Greek an ...

with his paternal grandfather coming from

Monolithos ''Monolithos, Poems 1962 and 1982'' is the second book of poetry by American poet Jack Gilbert. It was nominated for all three major American book awards: the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, and the National Boo ...

Rhodes Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...

and later settled in Brisbane.

Education

Lesson holds a first class honours degree in Indigenous Studies and in 2010 and 2011, taught that same topic alongside Indigenous academics at

Monash University Monash University () is a public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Named for prominent World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. The university has a ...

. He also holds a Master of Sound Design from the Victorian College of the Arts,

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

, supervised by Roger Alsop.

Work

Lesson works actively with young people to develop their power of expression, and to utilize the form of the spoken (and written) word as a means of empowerment and a form of self-determination, creating awareness for marginalized and disempowered youth. His first album ''Please Resist Me'' was published in February 2012. The album name, and specifically the song entitled "Please Resist Me" speaks to colonial powers, and powers that further seek to exploit, undermine and diminish people and communities alexander hamilton and the strength that can be found in this struggle, and its contribution to change. He has collaborated with the

Queensland Symphony Orchestra Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO) is an Australian symphony orchestra in the state of Queensland. The orchestra is based in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's building in South Bank. The Orchestra is funded by private corporations, the ...

, performing his concerto interrogating the life of Governor

Lachlan Macquarie Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Companion of the Order of the Bath, CB (; gd, Lachann MacGuaire; 31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Scotland. Macquarie se ...

. He has performed alongside other international artists such as Shane Koyczan (Canada),

Amir Sulaiman Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or ceremo ...

(USA), Lowkey (UK) and Lemon Anderson (USA), and was invited to perform features at the famous Nuyorican Poet's Cafe in New York City in 2011 and 2012. In April 2022, he performed in a one-man show called "Agapi and Other Kinds of Love" at the National Museum of Australia.

References

External links

Luka Lesson websitewritersfestival.co.nz
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lesson, Luka Australian poets Slam poets Australian people of Greek descent People from Brisbane