ABC Classic and ABC Jazz reveal recipients of $90,000 Composer Commissioning Fund
Pictured: Eric Avery
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz have announced the 15 recipients of the inaugural Composer Commissioning Fund to support the creation of new music from emerging and diverse Australian artists.
Chosen from 150 applications, all compositions will be recorded live for broadcast and commercial release via ABC Music, with each successful applicant being granted up to $6,000 to assist in the writing and recording of their work.
Out of the 15 successful composers and performers selected in the fund, more than half identify as female, with two composers identifying as First Nations, three as LBGTQIA+, and five as linguistically and culturally diverse.
Music / “The Surge”, Ensemble Offspring, National Film and Sound Archive, Arc Cinema, May 21. Reviewed by
ROB KENNEDY
AUSTRALIAN composers would be much worse off if not for Ensemble Offspring. In an all-Australian music concert, this group not only showed how good it is but how necessary it has become to help get local music out to eager audiences.
In a rare septet format in tribute to John Williams’ ensemble Attacca, Ensemble Offspring was joined by guitarists Vladimir Gorbach and Andrew Blanch to celebrate Williams’ contribution to Australian music with reimagined performances of works by Peter Sculthorpe and Nigel Westlake.
Ensemble Offspring also performed pieces by composers Jessica Wells, Robert Davidson and Felicity Wilcox. These new works were commissioned to create music that address Australia’s cultural past, present and future. Blue Mountains-based video artists Peachey and Mosig created striking video projections to accompany the show.
Heather Lee and Kim Cunio.
A DAY of music making at Belco Arts tops off this year’s Canberra International Music Festival, with free performances by DJ Diola, Super Rats, ANU Young Musicians Ensemble, Tiwi Strong Women, Jess Green, Golden Gate Brass Quintet, Kim Cunio and Heather Lee with Samarai Cunio and Woden Valley Youth Choir, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen, 10am-4.30pm, Saturday, May 8.
THE May edition of the LGBTQI+ Elders Dance Club Canberra, a free social event for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse and intersex elders and allies is on at Ainslie Arts Centre, 31 Elouera St, Braddon, this Sunday, May 9, from 1-3pm.