In 2017, Anne Summers, author of the ground-breaking examination of women in Australia’s history ‘Damned Whores and God’s Police’ released a ‘Women’s Manifesto’. This was intended as a blueprint to create equality for women in Australia, and it articulates clear goals for change, one of which was the right to participate fully and equally in all areas of public life. Taking inspiration from Anne’s Manifesto, The Summers Night Project aims to provide support and mentoring for women composers to create new compositions for performances in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.
About the Project
Tura New Music, Monash University, Soundstream and Decibel New Music Ensemble have launched The Summers Night Project. The project has been established to support and mentor emerging composers who identify as women to create a composition for performances in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, with the aim of growing the gender diversity of composers in music programs Australia-wide. The three composers chosen from a national call-out are Olivia Davies (WA), Rachel Bruerville (SA) and Carmen Chan Schoenborn (VIC).
Hear an interview with some of the composers here.
A preview here.
Read the program here.
The Summers Night Project has been established to support and mentor emerging composers who identify as women to create a composition for performances in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne, with the aim of growing the gender diversity of composers in music programs Australia-wide. The three 2018 composers chosen from a national call-out were Olivia Davies (WA), Rachel Bruerville (SA) and Carmen Chan Schoenborn (VIC), who have been mentored by lead mentors Rebecca Erin Smith (WA), Becky Llewellyn (SA) and Cat Hope (VIC), as well as had access to new music practitioners. They have composed works for members of both Decibel and Sound Stream ensembles.
Project Partners
The Summers Night Project is presented by Tura New Music, Soundstream and Monash University, in association with project partners APRA AMCOS, the Australian Music Centre, and Decibel New Music Ensemble. The Adelaide concert is held in partnership with the Helpmann Academy and the University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium of Music.
