Shows I didn’t do enough digging then!
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ABC Classic and ABC Jazz ring in new year with Beethoven, baroque and our very own Valentine
National networks ABC Classic and ABC Jazz will bring the best sounds to Australian audiences in 2020, led by a year-long celebration of Beethoven, new studio recordings of Indigenous and female composers and the inaugural Jazz 100 countdown.
Ludwig van Beethoven was declared Australia’s favourite composer in this year’s Classic 100, which attracted a record-breaking 127,971 votes. Next year, ABC Classic will celebrate his 250th birthday by broadcasting every note he ever wrote in the new weekly program Beethoven 250 , plus the latest live performances of his music and a special Classic 100 countdown that lets listeners choose their favourite work by the famous composer.
Building on a record-high audience in 2019, ABC Classic’s line-up will also feature two new weekend programs hosted by Alice Keath, including one dedicated to baroque music. Other highlights include: new studio recordings of Indigenous composers, female composers and young artists; the return on-air of New Waves as part of a special events program across the year; and extended Weekend Brunch with Greta Bradman.
ABC Jazz lovers are in for a treat with the launch of the nation’s first Jazz 100 listener poll, culminating in a two-day countdown of jazz greats in October. James Valentine will also join the line-up to present new program Upbeat , alongside his ABC Radio Sydney gig. “I first heard jazz on ABC Radio in the 1970s. I’ve attempted to play jazz my entire life. It’s a beautiful circle to now be presenting music I love on ABC Jazz,” he says. “I’m a bit teary.”
Next year’s highlights on ABC Jazz, which turned 10 in 2019, also include: new weekday segments of Mal Stanley’s Jazztrack program and a showcase of live music on Saturdays; new recording scholarships for emerging Australian artists; and a new Artist in Residence program starring leading musicians such as Paul Grabowsky, Sandy Evans and Mike Nock.
Toby Chadd, Content Manager for ABC Classic and ABC Jazz, said: “As we enter a new decade, ABC Classic and ABC Jazz have never been stronger. Every week, we connect millions of Australians to music-making across the country and the world, bringing the joy of music into everyday life.
“In 2020, we will delve into the music of Beethoven in his 250th anniversary year, launch a new program celebrating baroque music and hold our inaugural Jazz 100. We will look to the future, too, with a new series of classical studio recordings and the inaugural ABC Jazz Scholarship, exemplifying the ABC’s role in nurturing emerging artists who will bring music to life for Australians over the coming decades.”
Next year, ABC Classic, Australia’s only national classical music network, will continue its role as the nation’s concert hall, bringing the best live music from here and around the globe to audiences, including the Sydney International Piano Competition.
Listeners will also stay close to ABC Classic’s family of presenters, from Breakfast’s Russell Torrance and Ed Ayres to Vanessa Hughes on Drive and Damien Beaumont on Evenings , continuing to bring music into the lives of millions of Australians each week.
Classic 100: Music in the Movies
Across the Australia Day long weekend, ABC Classic will replay every one of the nation’s top 100 soundtracks as voted in 2013 – from Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Superman to classical music by Bach, Beethoven and Mozart, that has featured in iconic films. We’ll also ask whether Morricone’s The Mission is still the nation’s number one soundtrack, revealing the new favourite on Monday 27 Jan at 5.00pm.
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz to go all-Australian tomorrow
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ABC commissions diverse new Australian works to support local musicians
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz will bring 25 new Australian works to music audiences over the next year, in a series of commissions to help safeguard local creativity and content against the ongoing impact of COVID-19.
The works were selected from 486 applications to the ABC’s new Australian Music Fund, highlighting the potential of Australia’s emerging composers and performers and the strength of its more established musicians.
In an initiative designed to celebrate the diversity and range within the Australian musical sphere, 55.5% of the selected composers and 62.5% of the performers are female. Almost 30% of the successful composers identify as Indigenous Australians.
The Australian Music Fund is part of the ABC’s $5 million Fresh Start Fund to provide urgent and critical support to Australian artists and creatives at a time when they need it the most. Applications closed on 12 June.
The successful works to debut on ABC Classic over the next 12 months include musical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, a suite of dances by a collective of female composers written in response to the 2019-20 bushfire season and emerging Indigenous composers bringing their perspectives to 250 years of European cultural heritage – in works inspired by, and incorporating the use of, an historic piano.
New works premiering on ABC Jazz include a selection from award-winning emerging composer Natalie Dietz and a new project from Australian-Armenian composer Zela Margossian and Jeremy Rose (The Vampires). Respected Australian jazz bassist Jonathan Zwartz joins fellow composers Mike Nock, Hamish Stuart and Julien Wilson to write and record a new series for broadcast.
Toby Chadd, ABC Classic and ABC Jazz Content Manager, said: “This extraordinarily diverse selection of new works embodies Australian composition and performance at its finest and builds on the ABC’s established tradition of discovering and developing new music. We are very pleased to be able to bring such a superb collection of emerging and established artists to audiences over the next 12 months.”
The successful applicants each receive up to $6000 to cover writing and recording, a studio session at the ABC, airplay for the completed recording on ABC Classic or ABC Jazz and a commercial digital release of the work via ABC Music.
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ABC Classic and ABC Jazz launch commissioning fund to support new and diverse Australian voices
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz have launched a $90,000 fund to support the creation of new music works from emerging and diverse Australian voices.
Applications open today for the composer commissioning fund, which will develop creative talent from under-represented groups by prioritising opportunities for women, Indigenous Australians, culturally and linguistically diverse artists, gender diverse artists, LGBTQI+ artists and differently abled artists.
Following on from the success of last year’s ABC $5 million Fresh Start Fund, ABC Classic and ABC Jazz will commission 15 new works or collections of works to be recorded for broadcast and digital commercial release, bringing the talents of diverse Australian musicians to audiences across the country.
Toby Chadd, ABC Classic and ABC Jazz Content Manager, said: “In 2020, the ABC’s Fresh Start Fund gave opportunities to hundreds of classical and jazz composers and musicians at a time when their industry was in dire straits.
“It was the biggest music commissioning project in the history of the ABC and it was more than a rescue package – out of it came a range of music that reflects Australia today. And we’ve heard from our audience about how those new works have delighted, inspired and challenged them.
“The projects were so successful that we’ve decided to run a new composer commissioning fund in 2021, inviting musicians and composers to apply for funds to get a new work commissioned, recorded and broadcast by the ABC. The focus will again be on championing under-represented voices, continuing ABC Classic and ABC Jazz’s long tradition of nurturing Australian music-making and bringing the very best artists to our audiences, here at home and around the world.”
Last year’s Fresh Start Fund saw ABC Classic and ABC Jazz bring 25 new Australian works to audiences, in a series of commissions that helped safeguard local creativity and content against the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 55% of the selected composers and 62.5% of the performers were female, while almost 30% of the successful composers identified as Indigenous Australians. Click here to listen to some of the commissioned works.
Successful Fresh Start Fund applicants included Australian composer Emma Jayakumar and her Bell Birds suite – an expression of profound love for the Australian bush and its unique, audacious animals .
“It’s funny, this piece has really I think solidified for me that I am… I’m a composer,” she said. “Before I kind of had a foot in either camp, I think – I’m a singer but I also write. And now I’m – absolutely, I’m a composer. And it’s really wonderful for me to have had that real affirmation.”
Yuwaalaraay writer, musician, composer and educator Nardi Simpson said the process of composing and recording her Fresh Start Fund commissioned work The Binary was “a really wonderful journey for me”.
“I’m really easy going. So, if someone says ‘Think about doing this’, I say ‘Yeah, I’ll have a go’. And I negotiate things in the making and often I can tailor things to what they need to be. This has been an experience of where I’ve pushed a little bit on what I want things to be.”
Recipient of the ABC Jazz Fresh Start Fund, Angela Davis, said the award was a “dream come true.”
“During a time where all of my gigs were cancelled for the foreseeable future, this support gave me the motivation I needed to keep writing and working on my craft with the knowledge that I had a recording date in the future. And what a time to write! I feel extremely lucky to have the support of the ABC – it has absolutely changed the trajectory of my career in what was a difficult time to be an artist.”
Applications for the new $90,000 ABC Classic and ABC Jazz commissioning fund are open from 9 April to 21 May, with recordings of the selected works scheduled to occur in late 2021 and the first half of 2022.
Each successful commission receives a total fee of up to $6000 to cover writing a new work and recording musicians, plus a studio session at the ABC, airplay for the completed recording on ABC Classic or ABC Jazz and commercial digital release of the work via ABC Music.
To apply or for more information, go to the ABC Classic & ABC Jazz Composer Commissioning Fund site.
ABC farewells ABC Classic and ABC Jazz content manager Toby Chadd
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz Content Manager Toby Chadd is departing the ABC after more than three years of giving voice to diverse Australian music, creativity and talent on the national stage.
Toby leaves ABC Classic on a high, with the national network enjoying its strongest audience reach figures on record. His tenure since 2018 has also featured the launch of the annual Festival of Female Composers, the ABC Jazz Artist in Residence program and last year’s national Classic Choir – which united Australians in song and celebration, amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz this month also launched a composer commissioning fund to champion under-represented voices, continuing the networks’ long tradition of nurturing Australian music-making.
Toby will move to his new role of Director of Artistic Planning with the Australian Chamber Orchestra after leaving the ABC on 30 April.
Toby said it had been a privilege to work with the ABC’s classical and jazz teams over the past eight years, including four years on the ABC Classics music label. “Every day I’ve been reminded about how important music is in all our lives, as we hear from audiences about the solace, inspiration and stimulation that our networks bring them and see record numbers tuning in,” he said.
“ABC Classic and ABC Jazz occupy a unique position in the Australian landscape, enjoying collaborations with a whole host of astonishing musicians – broadcasting their live performances to a national and international audience and building new projects that develop our culture and nurture future voices and audiences.
“In an increasingly fragmented media world, the unique power of radio to reach into our lives, combined with the cultural remit of a public broadcaster, has never been so important. The ABC’s broadcasters, technicians and producers are world-beating and working with them is a thrill that I will miss dearly. But I’m looking forward to listening and watching as they continue to connect us with the world’s greatest music.”
Chris Scaddan, ABC Head Of Music & Creative Development, said: “ABC Classic & ABC Jazz are both stronger than ever thanks to Toby’s leadership and the continued work of the whole team. We saw this especially in 2020, when record audiences turned to ABC Classic for companionship and fine music to help them through the pandemic.
“We’re really going to miss Toby’s creative spirit and endless enthusiasm for the content and the team. He’s been an inspiration and we wish him all the best for his new role with the ACO.”
In recent years, ABC Classic and ABC Jazz have attracted new and committed audiences from across the country through successful campaigns, such as:
- Beethoven’s 250th birthday celebrations featured a dedicated program throughout 2020, including the broadcast of every piece he wrote and a Classic 100 countdown dedicated to his compositions.
- The launch of the Festival of Female Composers, the world’s first annual radio festival dedicated to the music of female composers.
- The inaugural Classic Choir in 2020 featured more than 500 participants singing a new carol commissioned from Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham.
- The launch of the monthly ABC Jazz Artist in Residence program in 2020 enables musicians to share their stories and music with audiences.
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz are the home of live music, with daily broadcasts featuring the best Australian and international musicians, and production teams located across the country.
Major live music moments over the past three years have included Yo-Yo Ma’s Australian debut live from the Sydney Opera House, International Jazz Day on ABC Jazz and ABC TV, the broadcast of Daniel Barenboim conducting the Berlin Staatskapelle and the Gondwana World Festival of Choral Music.
Experienced ABC broadcaster Joe Gelonesi will act as Content Manager for ABC Classic and ABC Jazz while a permanent replacement is found.
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A content manager with no prior radio content manager experience?
As voting opens for ABC’s Classic 100, we ask: what is one piece of video game music that has truly captured your heart?
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ABC Classic digs deep to find the music we can’t live without
In 2021, ABC Classic will mark the 20th anniversary of Australia’s biggest classical music event, the Classic 100 Countdown, by asking audiences to choose the music they can’t live without.
On June 12-13, music lovers around Australia will celebrate the Countdown in a must-listen winter weekend of music, as it counts down the top 100 works as voted by audiences.
Every year over the past two decades, the network has challenged its audiences to vote in a particular category of music. This weekend, presenters Russell Torrance , Ed Ayres , Greta Bradman , Alice Keath , Joel Carnegie , Mairi Nicolson , Vanessa Hughes , Martin Buzacott and Stéphanie Kabanyana Kanyandekwe will throw the net wide open. From chamber music to screen classics, opera to gaming music, symphonies to solo works – the choice is broader than ever.
International musical superstars such as Hilary Hahn, Ray Chen Ben Folds and Teddy Tahu Rhodes have joined ABC Classic over the voting period, along with well-known Australians including Christine Anu , Jeremy Fernandez , Deborah Cheetham AO, Dr Norman Swan and Costa Georgiadis , to talk about their personal selections.
“The ABC Classic audience has hand-picked a sensational weekend of music,” said Joe Gelonesi, Acting Content Manager for ABC Classic & Jazz. “They’ve inspired us with a rousing final list of the 100 classical works that Australia can’t live without, and we can’t wait to find out their top choice this Sunday.”
To avoid spoilers, the Classic 100 Countdown: Music You Can’t Live Without will be broadcast LIVE across Australia. The countdown runs across Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 June, beginning at 9am each day AEST (8.30am ACST, 7am AWST). The number one will be announced at 4pm AEST (3.30pm ACST, 2pm AWST) on Sunday afternoon.
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I sometimes find the music on Classic soothing to listen to, makes a nice change from pop and rock.
But only instrumentals - it’s the tenors and sopranos I can’t stand.
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Results are in and the countdown is underway.
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ABC Classic and ABC Jazz commission 15 new works to support diverse Australian voices
ABC Classic and ABC Jazz have announced the recipients of the inaugural $90,000 composer commissioning fund to support new Australian music from emerging and diverse voices.
The 15 successful works, which were chosen from 150 applications, will be recorded for broadcast and digital commercial release, bringing the talents of composers and musicians from traditionally under-represented groups to audiences across the country.
The new music commissioned for ABC Classic and ABC Jazz explores diverse themes such as Indigenous culture, motherhood, the Australian bush, LGBTQI+ experiences and the silkworm’s journey as a metaphor for human struggles, and cross-cultural collaborations featuring more familiar classical and jazz instruments alongside the Arabic Oud, Japanese Shō, Chinese pipa, banjo, harmonium, electrical cristal and an Indigenous choir.
More than half of both the successful composers and the performers under the commissioning fund, announced in April, are female, while two of the composers identify as Indigenous Australians, three as LGBTQI+ and five as culturally and linguistically diverse.
Joe Gelonesi, Acting Content Manager for ABC Classic and ABC Jazz, said: “It was so pleasing to see an extraordinary range of creative responses from all over the country.
“The diversity of talent and startling selection of music themes to be brought to audiences through the $90,000 composer commissioning fund bodes well for the future of quality classical and jazz music making and highlights the ABC’s vital role in the discovery and development of new Australian music.”
The successful applicants each receive up to $6000 to support the writing and recording of their work, plus a studio session at the ABC and airplay for the completed recording on ABC Classic or ABC Jazz, as well as the commercial digital release of their work via ABC Music.
More:
This is great, but how about using Australian composers for the theme songs and stings for ABC programming, including news and radio?
There’s a lot of free library music makings its way to air, like the News Breakfast theme and the election might theme.
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ABC appoints Joe Gelonesi to lead ABC Classic and ABC Jazz networks
The ABC has appointed experienced creative and editorial manager Joe Gelonesi as ABC Classic and ABC Jazz Content Manager, to drive the national networks’ ongoing commitment to distinctive Australian music and talent.
In his role at the helm of Australia’s only dedicated national classical and jazz radio stations, Gelonesi will oversee initiatives such as the Classic 100 and Jazz 100 countdowns, annual Festival of Female Composers, ABC Jazz Artist in Residence program and the Composer Commissioning Fund for emerging artists.
Gelonesi, who has presented on ABC Classic, rejoins the music network as it enjoys its strongest audience reach figures on record. “The teams at ABC Classic and ABC Jazz have been brilliant at forging genuine community connections, supporting music makers – especially during the difficult times caused by COVID-19 – and engaging audiences across the country,” he said.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity to champion and support their efforts to bring Australians together through the wonderful, shared love of music.”
Gelonesi has been a key member of ABC Radio National’s executive editorial team for close to two decades, including most recently as Manager of Religion & Ethics. As a senior editorial leader at RN, he oversaw specialist genres and programmes, including music and arts, science and religion.
He is a former presenter of The Philosopher’s Zone on RN and was part of the team on triple j’s first Hottest 100 (then known as the “Hot 100”). He also initiated and developed the successful ABC Top 5 media residency project for early-career scholars and practitioners, across the arts, science and the humanities.
His appointment as ABC Classic and ABC Jazz Content Manager comes as Chris Scaddan, Head of Music & Creative Development in the ABC’s Entertainment & Specialist division, has been appointed to lead ABC-wide audio projects from 19 July through to the end of 2022.
Scaddan, who has been part of the ABC’s radio and music teams for almost 20 years, will work across the ABC’s three content divisions to develop a long-term strategy for audio services, including live audio/radio, on-demand content and podcasts.
Meagan Loader, who manages Double J, ABC Country and Rage , will be acting Head of Music & Creative Development for the next 18 months. Ryan Egan, Double J’s Executive Producer, Programs, will take up Loader’s role over that time.
Chris Scaddan welcomed Gelonesi, Loader and Egan to their new roles within the ABC Music & Creative Development team. “The talent and passion that they each possess is indicative of the whole team’s dedication to our audiences every day,” he said.
“After more than a year of uncertainty due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, listeners have turned to our networks for companionship, joy, inspiration and direction. The ABC’s role as an integral supporter of Australian music is more important than ever, as we plan for further success in the audio space for many years to come.”
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RE: 92.8 ABC Classic FM Sydney.
So, currently there’s no RDS RT for display of artist/title information.
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They seem to have scrapped the lunchtime (Noon) news on weekends?
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The 2022 Classic 100 was held this weekend.
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55 years is an amazing achievement. She must be well into her 70’s. Good on her.
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