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
Robert Burke
Nominated Project/Activity
Award for Excellence in Music Education
State/Territory
Victoria
Nominator Statement
Over the last 40 years, Robert Burke has had a highly successful career as a performer, composer, teacher, and academic, earning numerous awards and accolades through his many collaborations. The first 20 years of his career were dedicated to performance, working with artists such as Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows (15 albums), Kate Ceberano (8 albums), and performing on over 300 Australian recordings. In 1996, he released his first album as a bandleader and has since produced 17 more albums to national and international acclaim. This longitudinal experience has been an important reference for his teaching.
In 1999, he transitioned into academia as a performer, teacher, researcher, initiating and leading the highly successful Jazz and Improvisation Studies program at Monash University (2002). During this time, he became deeply engaged with issues of inclusivity and diversity, in the jazz and improvisation scene. Recognising these challenges, he has been proactive in advocating for change in the way we teach, perform, and compositions (Australian) we play in jazz and improvisation - through advocacy and activism.
His commitment to gender diversity in jazz and improvisation is exemplified by his leadership on the prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) grant ($275k), one of only two ever awarded in this field (of Jazz). Working with a team of expertsincluding Cat Hope, Claire Hall, Margaret Barrett, Louise Devenish, and Nicole Canhamthis research has drawn on surveys, interviews, symposiums (national and international), and publications to provide evidence that informs policy, composition and performance approaches for Jazz and Improvisation education along with festivals, clubs, and jazz education. Additionally, he has published on teaching Jazz and Improvisation history (through disrupting the canon) and also examined the state of jazz programs in Australia through a gender lens
Rob also founded AJIRN (Australasian Jazz and Improvisation Research Network), a platform for researchers, teachers, performers, and composers to present their work through performances, compositions, and research papers. Since 2016, AJIRNs annual conferences have been a key forum for jazz and improvisation research, with Rob convening four of these events at Monash University. AJIRN discusses critical regional and national issues such as gender and diversity, (de)colonisation, jazz scenes, identity, social collaboration, and music improvisation focusing on how the music is taught and performed. Rob is currently president of AJIRN.
Through his work as a performer, educator, and researcher, Robert has made a significant contribution to reshaping the way music is performed, composed, and studied in Victoria, Australiaimpacting the field on both a national and international level.
Nominee
Robert Burke
Nominated Project/Activity
Award for Excellence in Music Education
State/Territory
Victoria
In 1999, he transitioned into academia as a performer, teacher, researcher, initiating and leading the highly successful Jazz and Improvisation Studies program at Monash University (2002). During this time, he became deeply engaged with issues of inclusivity and diversity, in the jazz and improvisation scene. Recognising these challenges, he has been proactive in advocating for change in the way we teach, perform, and compositions (Australian) we play in jazz and improvisation - through advocacy and activism.
His commitment to gender diversity in jazz and improvisation is exemplified by his leadership on the prestigious Australian Research Council (ARC) grant ($275k), one of only two ever awarded in this field (of Jazz). Working with a team of expertsincluding Cat Hope, Claire Hall, Margaret Barrett, Louise Devenish, and Nicole Canhamthis research has drawn on surveys, interviews, symposiums (national and international), and publications to provide evidence that informs policy, composition and performance approaches for Jazz and Improvisation education along with festivals, clubs, and jazz education. Additionally, he has published on teaching Jazz and Improvisation history (through disrupting the canon) and also examined the state of jazz programs in Australia through a gender lens
Rob also founded AJIRN (Australasian Jazz and Improvisation Research Network), a platform for researchers, teachers, performers, and composers to present their work through performances, compositions, and research papers. Since 2016, AJIRNs annual conferences have been a key forum for jazz and improvisation research, with Rob convening four of these events at Monash University. AJIRN discusses critical regional and national issues such as gender and diversity, (de)colonisation, jazz scenes, identity, social collaboration, and music improvisation focusing on how the music is taught and performed. Rob is currently president of AJIRN.
Through his work as a performer, educator, and researcher, Robert has made a significant contribution to reshaping the way music is performed, composed, and studied in Victoria, Australiaimpacting the field on both a national and international level.