NOMINATION: Luminary - State and Territory
The Luminary Awards seek to honour individuals and organisations who, through sustained contribution (demonstrated over a period 3-5 years prior), have impacted their communities on a state or territory level through visionary leadership, fearless trailblazing, high-level artistic practice, and championing of Australian repertoire.
Nominations for individuals should demonstrate a program of activities or a range of projects rather than (for example) the recording and release of a single album. Nominations for a single work or project should be made in the Work of the Year or Excellence categories.
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.
Art Music Award guidelines →
Nominee
Jessica O'Donoghue
Nominated Project/Activity
Vocalist, composer, Artistic Director
State/Territory
New South Wales
Nominator Statement
Embodying Artist, Composer, Producer and Artistic Director roles Jessica is leading a revolution within the art-music and contemporary opera scene.
An award winning performer (2021 APRA AMCOS Art Music Award 'Performance of the Year - Notated Composition'), one of Australias most distinctive, provocative and versatile vocalists, Jessica is passionate about promoting female voice/narrative/presence within the music industry. Not wishing to reinforce the outdated and damaging attitudes towards women that dominate the traditional opera scene, Jessica thrives as a new music specialist, collaborating with leading Australian composers. Shes premiered dozens of musical works and operas to critical acclaim including Three Marys (2023) at Sydney Opera House (Greenwell), Antarctica (2022) at Holland Festival and Sydney Festival (Finsterer), Gilgamesh (Symonds) in collaboration with OA, directed by Kip Williams and 'Fumblind Oracle' (Belling) for Sydney Festival ODonoghues performance was a tour de force of dramatic range held together with brilliant vocal precision and control (SMH). In 2025 she will premiere Nico Muhlys new opera 'Aphrodite' written specifically for her.
As producer, Jessica creates opportunities, challenging the status quo of contemporary classical music. Shes received funding for works including The Mother Project (2020) exploring facets of modern day motherhood including postnatal depression, the economy and invisibility of care, queer parenting, and miscarriage, and Running Man (2022) which explores aspects of serious mental illness including psychosis and schizophrenia. Along with multiple City of Sydney (2021) and Vivid Sydney X-Celerate Program (2019, 2020) grants to create pop-up live music and 3-day Women in Music festivals to preview her album and showcase emerging female artists.
As Co-Artistic Director with the prestigious Song Company, Jessicas influence and philosophy aims to promote a rich and relevant voice within the industry while maintaining her position as Mezzo among the elite singer group. Her programming will both champion and commission new Australian works while celebrating the company's 40-year legacy as Australias national vocal ensemble. Jessicas instrumental role will develop new Emerging Artist and Education/Training programs for the company.
As composer, Jessica is forging a new path. One of only four selected in the highly prestigious Words, Text, Voices, Music composition program (Conservatorium of Music), she is studying her PhD under supervisors Liza Lim and Paul Stanhope. Her works, including a chamber opera, Menarche, exploring generational trauma, unveiling and erasing shame commonly passed from mother to daughter in relation to the female body and menstrual cycles, will place her firmly within the ranks of new Australian composers. Championing strong female narratives expands what shes already achieved in experimental art pop. Her album Rise Up (2022) was nominated Album of the Year 2022:Experimental in the ProgSpace Awards 2022 (International), lauded as One of the most enrapturing vocal albums of the year. Absolutely breathtaking - (ProgSpace), and art and dramatic pop at its very best, AU Review.
Nominee
Jessica O'Donoghue
Nominated Project/Activity
Vocalist, composer, Artistic Director
State/Territory
New South Wales
An award winning performer (2021 APRA AMCOS Art Music Award 'Performance of the Year - Notated Composition'), one of Australias most distinctive, provocative and versatile vocalists, Jessica is passionate about promoting female voice/narrative/presence within the music industry. Not wishing to reinforce the outdated and damaging attitudes towards women that dominate the traditional opera scene, Jessica thrives as a new music specialist, collaborating with leading Australian composers. Shes premiered dozens of musical works and operas to critical acclaim including Three Marys (2023) at Sydney Opera House (Greenwell), Antarctica (2022) at Holland Festival and Sydney Festival (Finsterer), Gilgamesh (Symonds) in collaboration with OA, directed by Kip Williams and 'Fumblind Oracle' (Belling) for Sydney Festival ODonoghues performance was a tour de force of dramatic range held together with brilliant vocal precision and control (SMH). In 2025 she will premiere Nico Muhlys new opera 'Aphrodite' written specifically for her.
As producer, Jessica creates opportunities, challenging the status quo of contemporary classical music. Shes received funding for works including The Mother Project (2020) exploring facets of modern day motherhood including postnatal depression, the economy and invisibility of care, queer parenting, and miscarriage, and Running Man (2022) which explores aspects of serious mental illness including psychosis and schizophrenia. Along with multiple City of Sydney (2021) and Vivid Sydney X-Celerate Program (2019, 2020) grants to create pop-up live music and 3-day Women in Music festivals to preview her album and showcase emerging female artists.
As Co-Artistic Director with the prestigious Song Company, Jessicas influence and philosophy aims to promote a rich and relevant voice within the industry while maintaining her position as Mezzo among the elite singer group. Her programming will both champion and commission new Australian works while celebrating the company's 40-year legacy as Australias national vocal ensemble. Jessicas instrumental role will develop new Emerging Artist and Education/Training programs for the company.
As composer, Jessica is forging a new path. One of only four selected in the highly prestigious Words, Text, Voices, Music composition program (Conservatorium of Music), she is studying her PhD under supervisors Liza Lim and Paul Stanhope. Her works, including a chamber opera, Menarche, exploring generational trauma, unveiling and erasing shame commonly passed from mother to daughter in relation to the female body and menstrual cycles, will place her firmly within the ranks of new Australian composers. Championing strong female narratives expands what shes already achieved in experimental art pop. Her album Rise Up (2022) was nominated Album of the Year 2022:Experimental in the ProgSpace Awards 2022 (International), lauded as One of the most enrapturing vocal albums of the year. Absolutely breathtaking - (ProgSpace), and art and dramatic pop at its very best, AU Review.