NOMINATION: Excellence in Experimental Practice
For works, people or events that interrogate, extend, or challenge standard artistic practice within the Australian repertoire
If you believe you are nominated in the wrong category or the details of your nomination to be incorrect, please contact the AMC via email at awards@australianmusiccentre.com.au before proceeding with the nomination.
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Nominee
Charlie Chan
Nominated Project/Activity
Constellation & ChAI
Nominator Statement
Charlie Chan deserves an award for Constellation, an incredible experiment which became their creative practice throughout a 12 month period.
January 12, 2024, Charlie released the final album 'Cosmos' in a 52-part magnum opus comprising 365 individual tracks.
Every Friday across 52 weeks in 2023-2024, a new Constellation album would drop, each named after a constellation of stars visible in the night sky on the day of release, with each track named after a star in that constellation.
The original intention was to give new life and licence to original compositions that had been recorded, but never before mastered or released. However, about 16 weeks in, Charlie realised the drive containing much of the material was corrupted, the recordings not usable; but having committed to realising the project, Charlie then had to compose, perform, record, master and release a full album of entirely new tracks for some 35 weeks.
As the weeks and months rolled on, the reality of having to compose a full new album every single week took an emotional, intellectual and physical toll. When Charlie hit the wall in early November - Week 42 - they turned to Ch.AI the artificial intelligence that Charlie themselves had invented to compose and perform the 42nd album itself, picking up the project for one week only, before Charlie resumed at the piano for Constellations home stretch through January 12. They then got on a roll, and some of the strongest material features on the final two albums released within the eligibility period.
Constellation stands as an extraordinary collection 100% entirely improvised solo piano practice, with all Chans signature mastery in play and laid bare. The process itself was a grand experiment uncharted territory even for a composer as driven and prolific as Charlie.
Nominee
Charlie Chan
Nominated Project/Activity
Constellation & ChAI
January 12, 2024, Charlie released the final album 'Cosmos' in a 52-part magnum opus comprising 365 individual tracks.
Every Friday across 52 weeks in 2023-2024, a new Constellation album would drop, each named after a constellation of stars visible in the night sky on the day of release, with each track named after a star in that constellation.
The original intention was to give new life and licence to original compositions that had been recorded, but never before mastered or released. However, about 16 weeks in, Charlie realised the drive containing much of the material was corrupted, the recordings not usable; but having committed to realising the project, Charlie then had to compose, perform, record, master and release a full album of entirely new tracks for some 35 weeks.
As the weeks and months rolled on, the reality of having to compose a full new album every single week took an emotional, intellectual and physical toll. When Charlie hit the wall in early November - Week 42 - they turned to Ch.AI the artificial intelligence that Charlie themselves had invented to compose and perform the 42nd album itself, picking up the project for one week only, before Charlie resumed at the piano for Constellations home stretch through January 12. They then got on a roll, and some of the strongest material features on the final two albums released within the eligibility period.
Constellation stands as an extraordinary collection 100% entirely improvised solo piano practice, with all Chans signature mastery in play and laid bare. The process itself was a grand experiment uncharted territory even for a composer as driven and prolific as Charlie.