In the second of our series we talk to Luke Sweeting, one of the finalists of the 2016 Freedman Jazz Fellowship. This year’s contenders for the annual scholarship are drummer James McLean and pianists Joe O’Connor and Luke Sweeting.
The finalists will now have the opportunity to compete for the $20,000 cash prize in a live performance ‘play-off’ at Freedman Jazz at the Sydney Opera House, with the winner to be announced on the night.
The finalists were judged in part on their proposed career enhancing project for which the prize money would be used.
Luke Sweeting, Dennis Griffin Masters of Music Scholar, plans on enhancing his career through the Fellowship by leading his Grey Wing Trio on a tour to Europe in 2017. The award would fund an international pathway for Sweeting, consolidating networks made over the previous two years.
We asked Luke what would it mean to you if you won The 2016 Freedman Fellowship?
Here is his answer. “I’m very honoured to be running in the final for the Freedman Jazz Fellowship. I absolutely love composing music and improvising and, should I receive the award, it would enable me to perform the music extensively in Europe. It would also help me to further establish international performance opportunities for this trio and other projects in the coming years.”
Freedman awards to be held on Monday 1 August at 7:30pm.
The judges, distinguished jazz musician/composers Stu Hunter, Laurence Pike and Brendan Clarke selected the three finalists from a group of 16 national candidates.
Read more about the other finalists:
Joseph O’Connor (story coming soon)
Link to Luke Sweeting’s website
