NOMINATION: Performance of the Year - Notated Composition
For the performance of a single Australian work, showcasing the performer(s)’ success in revealing the nature and intention of a composition with clear notated instructions for the performer. Works with significant improvisatory aspects should instead be submitted for Performance of the Year: Jazz / Improvised Music.
A work is defined as a single complete musical composition, or expression. This includes music with movements or sub-works (i.e. song cycles), installations, and real-time compositions (improvised music).
If you believe your performance to be 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.
Art Music Award guidelines →
Nominee
The Consort of Melbourne and Homophonic! string quintet
Nominee email
theconsortofmelbourne@gmail.com
Title of the work
Robbie's Daydream
Composer(s) of the work
Kym Alexandra Dillon
Librettist(s) or source author(s)
Robbie Heywood
Performance Date
10/2/2024
Venue
La Mama Courthouse
Nominator Statement
Robbie's Daydream was a piece that told the story of a retired air force pilot using her own words, evoking the experience of flying through the sky on a jet.
The string writing made heavy demands of the players, involving the violins simulating the sound of the engine from the de Havilland vampire jet using incrementally climbing glissandi, but also having a simultaneous harmonic relationship to the surrounding ensemble. Violinists Kyla Matsuura-Miller and Natasha Conrau totally gave themselves over to this task. The Homophonic! string quintet performed the challenging piece with true, exciting virtuosity, but all while never losing grip on their role as support to the vocal storytelling.
Consort of Melbourne perfectly found the balance between direct, human storytelling and effortlessly navigating the tight speechlike rhythms and close harmonies. The result was a performance that perfectly realised the vision and intent of the piece, emotionally affecting the audience all the while achieving a musically impressive result, a perfect balance between strings and vocals.
Nominee
The Consort of Melbourne and Homophonic! string quintet
Nominee email
theconsortofmelbourne@gmail.com
Title of the work
Robbie's Daydream
Composer(s) of the work
Kym Alexandra Dillon
Librettist(s) or source author(s)
Robbie Heywood
Performance Date
10/2/2024
Venue
La Mama Courthouse
The string writing made heavy demands of the players, involving the violins simulating the sound of the engine from the de Havilland vampire jet using incrementally climbing glissandi, but also having a simultaneous harmonic relationship to the surrounding ensemble. Violinists Kyla Matsuura-Miller and Natasha Conrau totally gave themselves over to this task. The Homophonic! string quintet performed the challenging piece with true, exciting virtuosity, but all while never losing grip on their role as support to the vocal storytelling.
Consort of Melbourne perfectly found the balance between direct, human storytelling and effortlessly navigating the tight speechlike rhythms and close harmonies. The result was a performance that perfectly realised the vision and intent of the piece, emotionally affecting the audience all the while achieving a musically impressive result, a perfect balance between strings and vocals.