Charles Maimarosia is a quiet man in person. Well dressed, with a large smile, he keeps a low profile during our conversation, keeping sentences short and to the point.

Unlike some other musicians, Mr Maimarosia doesn't need to speak much: He lets his array of wonderful instruments do the talking.

Hailing from the remote village of Pipisu, in Malaita in the Solomon Islands, Mr Maimarosia told National indigenous Times he was raised listening to his mother - one of the first graduated teachers from college in the Solomon's - sing the "loudest" at church.

"My mum was a very religious person. I remember we went to the church one day, and she used to sing louder than everyone else. I said to her, 'Mum, do you think God has a hearing impairment?'"

Mr Maimarosia said growing up, surrounded by lagoons and mountains, "hearing the sounds of seagulls flying and the waves," he always loved music.

His unique blend of modern and traditional, telling the stories of his important custom knowledge, has won rave reviews.

"My culture, My life", from his debut album Naratana Hion, hit number on the Asia/Pacific charts, and having relocated to Naarm in 2010 to focus on his solo career, he has toured with George Telek and released a debut solo EP 'Are'Are in 2016.

His 2020 single, A'mamiuru, was released to raise funds for his home community after the devastating ferry disaster caused by Tropical Cyclone Harold, and his latest single, Haiamasina, is an expansive love poem helping to illustrate 'Are'Are customs and traditions.

Having performed in Honiara, as part of the Australian High Commission/Wantok Musik Concerts, Mr Maimarosia was the recipient of the MAV Diaspora Award at the Music Victoria Ceremony this year.

"Blending traditional, with modern music — it's very important. Especially when you want to bring music from the past, into the present," Mr Maimarosia said.

His sound, which covers elements of pop, folk, and world music, is simultaneously upbeat and sorrowful; skilful guitar work is underpinned by traditional instruments - including Auu rerepi (traditional bamboo pan pipe) and Auu waa (metal pan pipe) - with, at times, melancholic vocals.

Telling the story of the Auu waa, Mr Maimarosia said it was created to ward off thieves from another tribe coming to steal from his people, whilst also noting the instrument can imitate the beautiful sound of the early morning bird.

Placed in front of people's noses when they slept, the instrument would make a sound from the natural breathing and snores.

"If you have five people doing that, it's like five people having [a] conversation. So, at night, when the thief comes close to the house…they say, 'oh no, these people are still waking up, they are not sleeping because they are whispering to each other,'" Mr Maimarosia said.

Talking about traditional music, of which he has made him name, he is adamant: "You really have to be careful about the context."

"Never change a lyric that was made in the past; that was a different era."

He said modern music, with several musicians, is able to bring life to traditional music, and traditional poems, of the past.

"Each song in the past has a story," Mr Maimarosia said. "It's good for the present to remember the heritage of wherever that song comes from."

"It gives a connection between the past and the present, depending on where that song comes from. And a lot of them have wisdom in it. And a lot of words, [they] get revived.

"And it is part of the heritage, part of the culture. And the biggest connection with the present generation is to connect with what the past created; what great grandfathers did - their work of creativity. Whether it is to dance, or songs or storytelling."

Like other First Nations people, storytelling on Malaita was done orally, with one story even lasting as long as eight days.

Mr Maimarosia said these stories were often told by elders, to younger people, to pass on. But if the elder dies, without the oral history being shared — the story dies.

"In our case…you have a lot of people sitting with the storage of songs and things I've learned. And it takes someone to go and do some research, talking to elders to get these things."

Mr Maimarosia is performing at the Melbourne Recital Centre as part of their Intimate Salon Experience on Saturday 18th of May.