New wave of composers win big at Screen Music Awards
A new wave of composers took out wins at the Screen Music Awards on Monday night at the City Recital Hall in Sydney.
Four first time nominees made it to the winner’s podium.
The Best Music for a Documentary went to Perth-based musician and composer Sean Tinnion, for his score for the ABC’s A Stargazer’s Guide to the Cosmos, delivering him his first win.
Adrian Sergovich’s globally acclaimed score for Screen Australia’s Lost and Found took out Best Music for a Short Film.
Oscar Joe Gross trumped with “Now I Know” (ABC Music Publishing) from ABC drama Pulse, for Best Original Song Composed For The Screen.
Jackson Milas scored for Best Music For An Advertisement for the catchy Forty Winks campaign (Sonar Music)
However, the established names more than held their own also across 12 categories across TV, online, film and advertising.
Caitlin Yeo took out the Feature Film Score of the Year for her original score for The Butterfly Tree, a movie about an ex-burlesque queen who puts a curse on single dad and his son.
The film’s soundtrack earned Yeo a second Screen Music Award for 2018, in the category of Best Soundtrack Album.
She previously won Feature Film Score of the Year for The Rocket in 2013.
It was a special evening for Yeo, who also attended in her capacity as president of the AGSC.
Matteo Zingales also received two Screen Music Awards – the first for Harrow, in the category of Best Television Theme. (published by Sonar Music)
The second is for his collaboration with fellow screen composer Antony Partos.
Together they scored the award for Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie for acclaimed ABC series Mystery Road.
Highly acclaimed Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski triumphed on the night with Picnic at Hanging Rock for Best Music for a Television Series or Serial.
Long-time collaborators Dinesh Wicks and Adam Gock were named Most Performed Screen Composers – Australia.
Neil Sutherland was Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas for the 11th consecutive year, taking his overall tally of Screen Music Awards to 13.
Best Music for Children’s Television went to Nerida Tyson-Chew for The Deep: The Missing.
Producer and director Robert Connolly was awarded Distinguished Services to Australian Screen.
Composer Nigel Westlake, when handing him the honour, said, “You would be hard pressed to find another individual who has given voice to the artistry of so many Australian composers, a man who has nurtured our community and provided the resources for our local talent to shine and realise their craft so thoroughly and with absolute integrity.
“The opportunity to work with Rob on Paper Planes was a highlight of my career.
“He is a filmmaker of the utmost integrity, a storyteller of immense facility, and has always believed in the power of cinema as a force for good.”
Westlake was joined by co-composer Lior (with Jonathan Zwartz on double bass) to perform “Ma Wadani Ahadun (Until the End of Time): from Ali’s Wedding.
Performing a musical tribute to Connolly were Jared Underwood (drums), the night’s musical director Jessica Wells on piano, Damian de Boos-Smith (guitar), Julian Langdon (keyboard) and Jonathan Zwartz for their rendition of “The Boys II” and “Fife & Drum” composed by The Necks from Connolly’s landmark film The Boys.
Singer/songwriter Ajak Kwai closed proceedings with “Majokdit” and “Tita” from the SBS television series Sunshine.
Presenters included Gillian Armstrong, Marcus Graham, minister for resources, energy & utilities and the arts Don Harwin, Lynette Curran, Clayton Jacobson, and Kim Gyngell.
The Screen Music Awards are staged jointly by APRA AMCOS and the AGSC (Australian Guild of Screen Composers).