Art Music Awards swings spotlight on creativity

A three-part work investigating characters associated with the trumpet, which received stunning reviews in Europe where it premiered (Brett Dean’s Dramatis Personae); a multi-instrumental work based on Tim Winton’s novel The Racer about the panic someone feels when they’ve lost their love; being inspired by music not accessible to the larger community like ceremonial music, pirated works and private love songs and performed as a mix of music, dance and installation (Damien Ricketson’s The Secret Noise).

These were some of the winners of last night’s Art Music Awards, held in Sydney last night for the fifth time. They were hosted by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre at the City Recital Hall covering art music, jazz and experimental music.

As an indicator of the global presence of Australian talent, not all the winners could make it to the ceremony. Perth-based composer and big band leader Mace Francis, for instance, is in Japan working with jazz saxophonist, Makoto Oka, to build a huge percussion instrument out of an old watermill.

List of winners:

Distinguished Services To Australian Music: Larry Sitsky

Performance of the Year: Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra by Ashley William Smith (soloist), West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Balder Bronnimann (conductor), Lachlan Skipworth (composer).

Work of the Year Vocal/Choral: The Riders, composed by Iain Grandage, text by Alison Croggon (based on the novel by Tim Winton), performed by Victorian Opera.

Jazz Work of the Year: Music for Average Photography by Mace Francis (composer), Mace Francis Orchestra (performers).

Instrumental Work of the Year: The Secret Noise by Damien Ricketson (composer) and Ensemble Offspring (performer).

Orchestral Work of the Year: Dramatis Personae – Music for Trumpet and Orchestra by Brett Dean (composer) and Håkan Hardenberger, Brett Dean, Sydney Symphony Orchestra (performer).

Award for Excellence by an Organisation: Gondwana Choirs for the 2014 artistic program, and significant contribution to Australian music since 1989.

Award for Excellence by an Individual: Ross Edwards for his contribution to Australian chamber music over 50 years.

Award for Excellence in Music Education: teacher, composer and music director Lorraine Milne for a sustained 50-year contribution to music education

Award for Excellence in a Regional Area: New England Conservatorium of Music for New England Sings!

Award for Excellence in Experimental Music: Richard Johnson for Canberra’s SoundOut Festival of Experimental and Improvised Music.

Award for Excellence in Jazz: tenor saxplayer Julien Wilson for recording and touring associated with the establishment of Lionsharecords in 2013 that fostered bonds in the jazz community.

State winners included Topology for their Top Up music education program (Queensland), Adelaide Festival for Tectonics (SA), Richard Jobson for SoundOut (ACT), Moorambilla Voices for education work (NSW), Speak Percussion for 2014 international touring (Vic) and West Australian Symphony Orchestra for WASO On The Road and and Onslow Kids Music Education (OK Me!) in West Pilbara (WA).

Fenella Kernebone hosted last night’s event along with guest presenters Julian Burnside QC, Lieven Bertels, Tony Grybowski, Robyn Holmes, Barney McAll and arts patron Kim Williams.

The Cutting and the Shrine with Phil Slater (trumpet), Simon Barker on drums, Carl Dewhurst on guitar and Kathryn Puie doing the finalperformance.

Curated by recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey, performances included an excerpt from Iain Grandage and Alison Croggon’s opera The Riders and Damian Barbeler’s Shadow Box. Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall’s Our Song and Joseph Twist’s Rain Dream were interpreted by the Sydney Children’s Choir, conductor Matthew Winnel and pianist Sally Whitwell. Trumpeter and composer Phil Slater was joined by Simon Barker and Carl Dewhurst for his The Cutting and The Shrine.

Image:West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s Evan Kennea, composer Lachlan Skipworth and Ashley William Smithwith presenter Julian Burnside QC