Finalists announced for 2015 ART Music Awards
APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre (AMC) have today announced the finalists for the2015 ART Music Awards, which recognisesAustralia’s finest compositions, performances and outstanding achievements.
38% of the 2015 finalists are first timers, a record number for the Awards, including Mace Franciswhose crowd-fundedMusic for Average Photography is up for Jazz Work of the Year. The The summary for Francis'Pozible campaign stated the original music was"to accompany a series of pretty crap photographs – a humorous presentation of serious music."
Speaking to TMN,Dean Ormston, Head of Member Services, APRA AMCOS said: "The number of first time finalists for this year’s Art Music Awards is one of the highest in the events' history – it's fantastic to see this level of vitality in Australian contemporary creative music practice.”
Across 11 national categoriesMoorambilla Voices have been named as finalists in three categories for their work in regional NSW. WhilePaul Grabowsky, Synergy Percussion, and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra also appear across multiple categories:Works of the Year, Performance and Award for Excellence.
Ensemble Offspring and Melbourne’s Speak Percussion (pictured) are nominated in theExcellent in Experimental Music category. Theyteamed with maverick composer-inventor Jon Rose for the world premiere ofGhan Tracks,a documentary-likeexploration of Australia’s iconic Ghan railway.
John Davis, Australian Music Centre CEO said, “The achievements represented by the finalists across the award categories demonstrate the diversity and vibrancy of creative practice in our sector, and a level of excellence that we are immensely proud of.”
The 2015 ART Music Awards take place on Tuesday August 11 at the City Recital Hall in Sydney.
FINALISTS 2015 ART MUSIC AWARDS
Vocal / Choral Work of the Year
Title: Afterwards
Composer: Stephen Adams
Performed by: Sydney Chamber Choir & Claire Edwardes
Title: How Shall We Sing in a Strange Land?
Composer: Joseph Twist
Text: Oodgeroo Noonuccal
Performed by: National Youth Choir of Australia, Australian Boys Choir & The Vocal Consort
Title: Mass of Deliverance
Composer: Dan Walker
Performed by: Leichhardt Espresso Chorus, Sydney Brass, Michelle Leonard conductor
Title: The Riders
Composer: Iain Grandage
Text: Alison Croggon, based on the novel by Tim Winton
Performed by: Victorian Opera
Jazz Work of the Year
Title: Love Like a Curse
Composer: Paul Grabowsky
Performed by: Monash Art Ensemble (MAE)
Publisher: J Albert and Son Pty Ltd
Title: Mujing
Composers: Simon Barker, Carl Dewhurst, Bae Il-Dong, Riley Lee, Matt McMahon and Phil Slater
Performed by: Simon Barker (drums), Carl Dewhurst (guitar), Bae Il Dong (vocalist), Riley Lee (shakuhachi), Matt McMahon (piano), and Phil Slater (trumpet)
Title: Music for Average Photography
Composer: Mace Francis
Performed by: Mace Francis Orchestra (MFO)
Title: Pius Bartosik
Composer: Daniel Susnjar
Performed by: Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian jazz group
Instrumental Work of the Year
Title: Piano Trio 'The Village'
Composer: Carl Vine
Performed by: Sitkovetsky Trio
Publishers: Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd/Faber obo Faber Music Ltd
Title: Shadow Box (Concert version)
Composer: Damian Barbeler
Performed by: Genevieve Lacey and James Crabb
Title: The Nightingale and the Rose
Composer: Paul Grabowsky
Performed by: Paul Grabowsky and Genevieve Lacey with the Flinders Quartet
Publisher: J Albert and Son Pty Ltd
Title: The Secret Noise
Composer: Damien Ricketson
Performed by: Ensemble Offspring
Orchestral Work of the Year
Title: Concerto for clarinet and orchestra
Composer: Lachlan Skipworth
Performed by: West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Ashley Smith soloist, Baldur Bronniman conductor
Title: Dramatis Personae – Music for Trumpet and Orchestra
Composer: Brett Dean
Performed by: Håkan Hardenberger, soloist, Brett Dean conductor, Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Publishers: Hal Leonard/Boosey & Hawkes Group obo Bote Bock Der Boosey Hawkes Bote Bock Gm
Title: Elastic Band – for solo improvised violin and orchestra
Composers: Elena Kats-Chernin and Jon Rose
Performed by: Jon Rose with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov conductor
Title: Jandamarra – Sing for the Country
Composer: Paul Stanhope
Librettist: Steve Hawke
Performed by: Brett Weymark, Simon Lobelson, Singers and Dancers of the Yilimbirri Ensemble,
GondwanaChoirs and Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Performance of the Year
Performer: Ashley William Smith soloist, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Baldur Bronniman conductor
Title: Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra
Composer: Lachlan Skipworth
Performer: Michael Kieran Harvey
Title: Luz meridional, Twenty-four Études for Pianoforte, no. 411
Composer: Andrián Pertout
Performer: Synergy Percussion
Title: Beauty Will Be Amnesiac Or Will Not Be At All
Composer: Anthony Pateras
Performer: West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Michael Stern conductor
Title: Concerto for Orchestra
Composer: Carl Vine
Award for Excellence by an Organisation
Gondwana Choirs for the 2014 artistic program, and significant contribution to Australian music since 1989
Moorambilla Voices for the 2014 program and contribution to musical life in remote New South Wales
Sydney Chamber Choir for 40 years of outstanding contribution to Australian choral music
Synergy Percussion for 40 years of Synergy Percussion in 2014
Award for Excellence by an Individual
Jeanell Carrigan for resurrecting the piano music of Meta Overman
Julian Day for excellence in researching, broadcasting and presenting the work of Australian musicians to a broad national and international public on broadcast and print media outlets
Peter Knight for leadership, composition, performance and curation
Ross Edwards for his contribution to Australian chamber music
Award for Excellence in Music Education
Lorraine Milne for sustained contribution to music education
Moorambilla Voices for education work in North West New South Wales
Sydney Symphony Orchestra for TunED-Up!
Topology for Top Up music education program
Award for Excellence in a Regional Area
Boyd and Alison for Coalface 2014
Moorambilla Voices for Moorambilla Voices Program 2014
New England Conservatorium of Music for New England Sings!
Tyalgum Music Festival for 2014 activity
Award for Excellence in Experimental Music
Darrin Verhagen for activity/projects
Jon Rose, Ensemble Offspring, Speak Percussion for Ghan Tracks
Luke Johnson for Ornate Boredom Machine
Richard Johnson for the SoundOut Festival of Experimental and Improvised Music
Award for Excellence in Jazz
Alister Spence, Christopher Cantillo and Joe Williamson for Begin
Julien Wilson for recording and touring associated with the establishment of Lionsharecords
PBS 106.7FM for The Young Elder of Jazz Commission
Peter Knight for leadership, composition, performance, curation
Image:Ensemble Offspring and Melbourne’s Speak Percussion who are nominated in theExcellent in Experimental Music category