Pictured: Elana Stone, one of the National Jazz Awards Finalists this year
Forget about ‘Australian Idol’, the real showcase of the hottest young singers in Australia will be the finals of the National Jazz Awards, at the 2005 TAC Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz in October. The 2005 Festival runs from Friday 28 – Monday 31 October.
Australia’s most prestigious jazz competition, the National Jazz Awards feature a different instrument every year. Last year, it was drums; this year, it’s voice, for the first time since 1998. The ten finalists were chosen from recorded entries submitted by musicians from across Australia, from Brisbane to Perth. Entry was restricted to musicians 35 years of age or younger (as at November 1). The finalists are:
… Kristin Berardi, 24, from Sydney
… Sophie Brous, 20, from Melbourne
… Jo Fabro, 22, from Sydney
… Jo Lawry, 26, from Adelaide (currently based in USA)
… Emma Gilmartin, 27, from Melbourne
… Eduardo Santini, 28, from Sydney
… Gian Slater, 22, from Melbourne
… Elana Stone, 24, from Sydney
… Megan Washington, 19, from Brisbane
… Alison Wedding, 33, from Melbourne
(Ages shown are as at the 30th October 2005).
Several of the finalists have already established reputations as outstanding jazz singers. Others are rising stars who will be keen to make the most of this opportunity to shine at the Australian jazz industry’s biggest annual forum.
The ten finalists will perform in the first round, with three then selected to play in the final round, which will be recorded for later national broadcast on ‘Jazztrack’, on ABC Classic FM.
… The winner will receive $6000 plus a studio recording session for ‘Jazztrack with Mal Stanley’ on ABC Classic FM.
… The runner-up will receive $3000.
… The third finalist will receive a prize of $1500.
At Wangaratta, the finalists will play with three outstanding musicians: pianist Mark Fitzgibbon, bassist Brett Hirst and drummer Craig Simon. All are experienced musicians, who understand how the competition works, having all participated as finalists (with Mark receiving first prize in 1991).
The finalists’ performances will be assessed by a judging panel chaired by internationally-respected pianist Mike Nock and two leading jazz singers, London-based Anita Wardell and Melbourne-based Michelle Nicolle (who won the National Jazz Award in 1998).
The National Jazz Awards have been staged since 1990 as part of Australia’s premier jazz festival, the TAC Wangaratta Festival Of Jazz. The National Jazz Awards are now well and truly established as the most important and prestigious jazz competition in Australia. The competition has helped boost the careers of such outstanding talents as Barney McAll, Julien Wilson, Stephen Magnusson, James Muller, Scott Tinkler, Phil Slater, Felix Bloxsom and Michelle Nicolle.
The National Jazz Awards are again proudly sponsored by Bruck Textiles, one of the major employers in Wangaratta’s local economy.
TAC Wangaratta Festival of Jazz
