Art Music Awards winners announced
With a record number of finalists from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, three exceptional recipients of awards were Carl Vine, Damien Ricketson and Liza Lim. The wins are a powerful reflection of the quality, strength of research and variety and volume of creative projects produced by the Conservatorium's music practioners.
Carl Vine, Senior Lecturer in Composition won Orchestral Work of the Year for his double piano concerto Implacable Gifts, inspired by the James Gleeson painting of the same name. The composer has been a regular finalist at the Art Music Awards across a number of categories (including for Orchestral Work of the Year in 2013 for his Second Piano Concerto) and was last year honoured with the Award for Excellence by an Individual.
Damien Ricketson, Program Leader of Bachelor of Music (Composition), who was a finalist in the Instrumental category in 2011 and went on to win it in 2015, won Vocal/Choral Work of the Year for The Howling Girls. Created with director Adena Jacobs, it was premiered by Sydney Chamber Opera and soprano Jane Sheldon.
Performance of the Year went to Speak Percussion and Jessica Aszodi, for their performance of Liza Lim’s Atlas of the Sky. Lim was previously awarded both the Instrumental and Vocal/Choral categories in 2017.
It’s wonderful to see the recognition of all nominees from the Conservatorium and our alumni. This cements the array of talent housed within and produced by our School.
The annual Art Music Awards is the only event in Australia that specifically acknowledges achievements in the fields of the composition, performance, education and presentation of Australian art music. Hosted by Jonathan Biggns, the Awards took place at the Great Hall of the University of Sydney.
Categories recognising excellence by individuals, organisations and educators, excellence in the areas of experimental music and in jazz, included a wide range of projects, from local to regional and national.
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music (SCM) had over nine nominations including the following:
Orchestral work of the year:
Vladimir Gorbach guitar soloist in Cathy Milliken’s D’ACCORD: A diary of discourse
Carl Vine Implacable Gifts (Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra)*
Elena Kats-Chernin (SCM alumna) Lelewohl (Piano Concerto No. 3)
Instrumental work of the year:
Elizabeth Younan (SCM alumna) Piano Sonata
Vocal/Choral work of the year:
Damien Ricketson The Howling Girls*
Alice Chance (SCM alumna) The Audience Choir
Performance of the Year:
Matthew Hindson Dark Matter performed by Ray Chen and Julien Quentin Violin Sonata No. 1
Liza Lim Atlas of the Sky performed by Jessica Aszodi*
Award for excellence by an organisation:
Nominated by City Recital Hall for Extended Play Festival of New Music
Richard Gill Award Distinguished Services to Australian Music:
The Necks (SCM alumni)*
Award for excellence by an individual:
Lyn Williams AM – SCM alumna*
Award for excellence in a regional area
Steel City Strings (Wollongong) – conducted by Luke Spice (SCM alumnus)*
Award for excellence in Jazz:
Jeremy Rose for high artistic excellence, and contribution to the creation, presentation and promotion of Australian jazz
*Award recipients