Art Music Award winners announced

From the media release

artmusicawards2014Winners have been announced across 11 national and seven State categories at this year’s Art Music Awards. The Awards were held for the first time in Melbourne at the Plaza Ballroom this evening.

Hosted by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre, the Art Music Awards celebrate the achievement and creative success of composers, performers and educators in the genres of contemporary art music, jazz and experimental music. This year’s diverse list of winners features some of Australia’s finest artists.

Jazz categories

In the various jazz categories, congratulations go to the following musicians and ensembles

Paul Grabowsky impressed with his work Tall Tales, awarded in the Work of the Year: Jazz category. Tall Tales is a journey through three different types of musical language, the first inspired by the Yolngu people of Northern Australia.

The Australian Art Orchestra took home the Award for Excellence by an Organisation, with their standout achievements in 2013, including diverse programs, cross-cultural collaborations and community engagement.

Dr Catherine Crock’s support of Australian composers to create new works for her recording project The Hush Collection, Volumes 1-13 has seen her take out the Award for Excellence by an Individual. Many fine jazz musicians have contributed to this wonderful collection.

Alister Spence and Myra Melford combined their talents for an improvisational piece on two grand pianos, Everything Here Is Possible, and were recognised as winners of the Award for Excellence in Jazz.

The award evening

The evening was a tremendous success, with performances curated by recorder virtuoso and artistic director Genevieve Lacey, including the Australian National Academy of Music Orchestra with Delyth Stafford accompanying finalists Nigel Westlake & Lior.

Award-winner Paul Grabowsky teamed up with Gian Slater and the Invenio Singers, and Speak Percussion performed a dynamic rendition of Matthew Shlomowitz’s Popular Contexts Vol 6. Neil Kelly and Michael Hewes took to the stage prior to concert pianist Tamara Anna Cislowska’s moving tribute to the late Peter Sculthorpe.

Congratulations to all of the 2014 ART Music Awards finalists and winners on their outstanding achievements.

Links

Read more (including information about winners in other categories) on the APRA AMCOS website

The Hush collection of CDs

Paul Grabowsky’s website

Alister Spence’s website

Australian Art Orchestra website

 

Author: Miriam

Miriam Zolin is a writer who enjoys jazz and improvised music. She was the founding editor of AustralianJazz.net, and was also responsible for publishing the extempore journal, and books by John Clare, Geoff Page and Allan Browne.