News October 27, 2015

Finalists announced for 2015 ART Music Awards

Former Editor

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