Post by marksiks on Aug 24, 2006 17:04:50 GMT 10
National Jazz Awards Finalists Announced
23/8/06
Who are the best young pianists in Australian jazz today ? You can hear them at the finals of the National Jazz Awards, at the 2006 TAC Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz in November. (The Festival will run from Friday 3 - Monday 6 November).
Australia's most prestigious jazz competition, the National Jazz Awards feature a different instrument every year. Last year, it was vocals ; this year, it's piano, for the first time since 1999. The ten finalists were chosen from recorded entries submitted by musicians from across Australia, from Brisbane to Perth. Entry was restricted to musicians 35 years of age or younger (as at November 1). Entries were assessed on a blindfold basis by three of Australia's most celebrated jazz pianists, Mike Nock, Joe Chindamo and Paul Grabowsky.
The finalists are :
* Dan Abeshouse, 29, from Sydney
* Darrin Archer, 34, from Melbourne
* Hugh Barrett, 22, from Sydney
* Aaron Choulai, 24, from Melbourne
* Marc Hannaford, 24, from Melbourne
* Jackson Harrison, 25, from Sydney
* Andrea Keller, 33, from Melbourne
* Gerard Masters, 29, from Sydney
* Will Poskitt, 29, from Melbourne
* Ben Winkelman, 33, from Melbourne
(Ages shown are as at the 30th October 2006).
Chairman of the judging panel, Mike Nock, said, "It was a very strong field this year, and I'm pleased to say I think we have chosen ten pianists who represent some of the outstanding talent in this country. Several of the finalists have already established themselves as bandleaders and composers, while some are already recognised as rising stars. It's going to be very interesting to see who produces the best performances at Wangaratta."
The ten finalists will perform in the first round, with three then selected to play in the final round, which will be recorded for later national broadcast on 'Jazztrack', on ABC Classic FM.
* The winner will receive $6000 ; plus a studio recording session for 'Jazztrack with Mal Stanley' on ABC Classic FM ; and an invitation to perform in the Stonnington Jazz concert series in March 2007
* The runner-up will receive $3000.
* The third finalist will receive a prize of $1500.
At Wangaratta, the finalists will play with bassist Brendan Clarke (winner of the National Jazz Awards in 2001) and drummer James Hauptmann.
The National Jazz Awards have been staged since 1990 as part of Australia's premier jazz festival, the TAC Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz. The National Jazz Awards have put the spotlight on young musicians, many of whom have gone on to establish their reputations nationally and internationally. They include pianists Barney McAll and Mark Fitzgibbon, saxophonists Julien Wilson and Roger Manins, trumpeters Scott Tinkler and Phil Slater, singers Michelle Nicolle and Elana Stone, guitarists Steve Magnusson and James Muller.
The National Jazz Awards are again proudly sponsored by Bruck Textiles, one of the major employers in Wangaratta's local economy.
23/8/06
Who are the best young pianists in Australian jazz today ? You can hear them at the finals of the National Jazz Awards, at the 2006 TAC Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz in November. (The Festival will run from Friday 3 - Monday 6 November).
Australia's most prestigious jazz competition, the National Jazz Awards feature a different instrument every year. Last year, it was vocals ; this year, it's piano, for the first time since 1999. The ten finalists were chosen from recorded entries submitted by musicians from across Australia, from Brisbane to Perth. Entry was restricted to musicians 35 years of age or younger (as at November 1). Entries were assessed on a blindfold basis by three of Australia's most celebrated jazz pianists, Mike Nock, Joe Chindamo and Paul Grabowsky.
The finalists are :
* Dan Abeshouse, 29, from Sydney
* Darrin Archer, 34, from Melbourne
* Hugh Barrett, 22, from Sydney
* Aaron Choulai, 24, from Melbourne
* Marc Hannaford, 24, from Melbourne
* Jackson Harrison, 25, from Sydney
* Andrea Keller, 33, from Melbourne
* Gerard Masters, 29, from Sydney
* Will Poskitt, 29, from Melbourne
* Ben Winkelman, 33, from Melbourne
(Ages shown are as at the 30th October 2006).
Chairman of the judging panel, Mike Nock, said, "It was a very strong field this year, and I'm pleased to say I think we have chosen ten pianists who represent some of the outstanding talent in this country. Several of the finalists have already established themselves as bandleaders and composers, while some are already recognised as rising stars. It's going to be very interesting to see who produces the best performances at Wangaratta."
The ten finalists will perform in the first round, with three then selected to play in the final round, which will be recorded for later national broadcast on 'Jazztrack', on ABC Classic FM.
* The winner will receive $6000 ; plus a studio recording session for 'Jazztrack with Mal Stanley' on ABC Classic FM ; and an invitation to perform in the Stonnington Jazz concert series in March 2007
* The runner-up will receive $3000.
* The third finalist will receive a prize of $1500.
At Wangaratta, the finalists will play with bassist Brendan Clarke (winner of the National Jazz Awards in 2001) and drummer James Hauptmann.
The National Jazz Awards have been staged since 1990 as part of Australia's premier jazz festival, the TAC Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz. The National Jazz Awards have put the spotlight on young musicians, many of whom have gone on to establish their reputations nationally and internationally. They include pianists Barney McAll and Mark Fitzgibbon, saxophonists Julien Wilson and Roger Manins, trumpeters Scott Tinkler and Phil Slater, singers Michelle Nicolle and Elana Stone, guitarists Steve Magnusson and James Muller.
The National Jazz Awards are again proudly sponsored by Bruck Textiles, one of the major employers in Wangaratta's local economy.
