NOMINATION: Work of the Year - Chamber
Chamber music is defined as works for between 1 and 12 players, with or without vocal parts, and with or without electronics
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 work 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
James Henry
Title of the work
Dreamscapes
Librettist(s) or source author(s)
James Henry
Performer
Ensemble Offspring & Sonya Holowell
Performance Date
30/10/2024
Venue
ABC
Nominator Statement
I would like to nominate James Henry's 3 movement work Dreamscapes written for Ensemble Offspring (flute, clarinet and percussion) and vocalist Sonya Holowell in 2024 for Work of the Year Chamber. This is a true work of scale for James and shows him developing his notated compositional techniques as a result of the years he has spent working in the Ngarra-Burria program both as a participant and mentor and directly with Ensemble Offspring as their 2023-2024 First Nations Composer in Residence. This stunning new work consists of three movements entitled Big Swell, Hydrofoil and While I'm Sleeping, all inspired by areas and experiences in the Sydney harbour region. James concept for the work was to combine dreams he had physically had about Sydney with the concept of Aboriginal dreaming stories into a 21st century version of a sort of dreaming story for the here and now. This is an important work in the ouvre of James Henry and shows him to be a mature First Nations composer who is honing his craft and technique and taking full flight! James says about the work: "The first movement of Dreamscapes is entitled Big Swell (2023). It is an exploration into what can be recovered from dreams in the form of stories and melodies. The story of Big Swell comes from a dream I had about going to Bondi Beach for a swim, only to be greeted by unprecedented large waves.
This second movement Hydrofoil is inspired by a dream in which I was swimming across Sydney Harbour, elevated above the water like a hydrofoil. While the hydrofoil itself doesn't directly influence my thoughts, the motion across the harbour intrigued me. As I considered the lyrical content, I thought it would be interesting to explore other obsolete forms of transportation in Sydney over the years, tapping into a sense of nostalgia related to my fondness for the hydrofoil.
For the third movement I was inspired by the time since the birth of my first son a little over four years ago, most of the music and TV content Ive consumed has been focused on children. One of the most challenging aspects of parenting for me has been bedtimeencouraging my child to wind down and transition into sleep. I wanted to create something that would let them hear soothing words from their own perspective, making the transition to sleep a pleasant experience. This would allow them to reflect on their day and feel comforted, knowing that dreams can be a source of familiar, comforting things from their waking hours."
Nominee
James Henry
Title of the work
Dreamscapes
Librettist(s) or source author(s)
James Henry
Performer
Ensemble Offspring & Sonya Holowell
Performance Date
30/10/2024
Venue
ABC
This second movement Hydrofoil is inspired by a dream in which I was swimming across Sydney Harbour, elevated above the water like a hydrofoil. While the hydrofoil itself doesn't directly influence my thoughts, the motion across the harbour intrigued me. As I considered the lyrical content, I thought it would be interesting to explore other obsolete forms of transportation in Sydney over the years, tapping into a sense of nostalgia related to my fondness for the hydrofoil.
For the third movement I was inspired by the time since the birth of my first son a little over four years ago, most of the music and TV content Ive consumed has been focused on children. One of the most challenging aspects of parenting for me has been bedtimeencouraging my child to wind down and transition into sleep. I wanted to create something that would let them hear soothing words from their own perspective, making the transition to sleep a pleasant experience. This would allow them to reflect on their day and feel comforted, knowing that dreams can be a source of familiar, comforting things from their waking hours."