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5 May 2020

Layton Emerging Composer Fellowship to Ian Whitney


Ian Whitney Image: Ian Whitney  

Sydney-based composer Ian Whitney has won the 2020-2021 Layton Emerging Composer Fellowship, valued at $10,000 for one year. Whitney will write two chamber music works over a 12-month period as part of the Australia Ensemble NSW's outreach program, with a public workshop organised in 2021. He will also receive mentoring sessions with a Composition staff member from the UNSW School of the Arts & Media, members of the Australia Ensemble UNSW, and an external composition mentor.

'It is immensely exciting, and humbling, to know I will soon be writing for some of Australia's best chamber musicians. These opportunities to develop craft and build confidence are rare and valuable and I am grateful to Emeritus Professor Layton and the late Dr Merrilyn Layton, the Australia Ensemble and UNSW for what promises to be an amazing and enriching experience', said Ian Whitney about his Fellowship.

'The possibility of supporting new emerging composers is something that we both always wanted to do - encouraging younger scholars to find their place and contribute significantly to a competitive world', said Professor Layton. 'The Emerging Composer Fellowship made this possible and I am delighted I am able to help in this way. Ian Whitney is a wonderful choice who I am sure will create beautiful, challenging music for many years.'

Originally from Brisbane, Ian Whitney is currently undertaking candidacy for a Doctor of Musical Arts at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, under the lead supervision of Carl Vine. Previously, he studied at the Queensland Conservatorium with Gerard Brophy and Stephen Leek. His work has been performed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Victorian Opera, PLEXUS, Arcadia Winds, Highly Strung and Ensemble Françaix, among others.

The Australia Ensemble, resident at UNSW Sydney, was founded in 1980 following a proposal put to the University by Roger Covell and Murray Khouri. The core activities of the Australia Ensemble are the annual subscription season and free concert and workshop series at UNSW. The Ensemble is managed by UNSW's Music Performance Unit and has seven core positions: Geoffrey Collins, flute; David Griffiths, clarinet; Ian Munro, piano; Dene Olding, violin; Dimity Hall, violin; Irina Morozova, viola; and Julian Smiles, cello. The Ensemble's Artistic Director is composer Paul Stanhope.

> Read more about the announcement on the UNSW website - see also Australia Ensemble at NSW webpage.


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