Members of the Australian music have gathered to pay tribute to the screen composers who create musical magic behind the scenes for the small and large screen. Presented by APRA / AMCOS and the AGSC, the winners of the 2013 Screen Music Awards have been announced at a gala event at the Sydney State Theatre.
Hosted by The Chaser’s Andrew Hansen and Chris Taylor, the winner’s list features an impressive group of composers who reflect the diversity and depth of the Australian screen music community.
Taking out the coveted Feature Film Score of the Year award is composer and musician Caitlin Yeo who wowed judges with her work on The Rocket which has picked up awards and acclaim from around the world, including gongs at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival and Berlinale.
The Rocket also took out the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2013 Sydney Film Festival. With compositions for at least twenty television and cinema documentaries plus six feature films under her belt, former APRA Professional Development Award winner Caitlin Yeo’s star is on the rise.
The creative collaboration of David McCormack and Antony Partos has proven to be a winning formula with the duo taking out two awards. They win the category of Best Music for a Television Series or Serial for Redfern Now – Episode 4: Stand Up. They also took out the category of Best Original Song Composed for the Screen for the powerful ‘Lonely Child’ also from Redfern Now.
Melbourne composer Dale Cornelius has won the category of Best Television Theme for his creative composition for ABC telemovie The Doctor Blake Mysteries. Having composed countless hours of music for feature films, documentaries, short films and television shows, this is Dale’s first ever Screen Music Award.
Winning the award for Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie is Cezary Skubiszewski, one of Australia’s most prolific screen composers. He receives this award for his work on The Mystery of a Hansom Cab based on a classic mystery novel by Fergus Hume.
2013 Tropscore winner Michael Lira has scored the award for Best Music for a Documentary for the The A-Z of Contemporary Art – a bluffer’s guide to the occasionally incomprehensible world of contemporary art.
Composer, arranger and producer Jonathan Dreyfus has received the award for Best Music for a Short Film for Catch Perfect. After apprenticing under his musician parents and composing for commercials and long-form projects, Jonathan is more than a chip off the old block.
Rafael May has taken home the award for Best Soundtrack Album for his work on the creepy feature film Black Water. His ominous and suspenseful score captured the judge’s imaginations, giving him his second Screen Music Award.
Multiple award winning screen composer Christopher Elves has won the award for Best Music for Children’s Television for Flea Bitten, a 52 episode animated series for the Nine Network. Elves’ ‘midas touch’ has seen him win the Children’s Music category no less than four times.
Winning his maiden Screen Music Award is composer and soundscape artist Erin McKimm who has won Best Music for an Advertisement for his work on Shibui Hands.
In the Most Performed categories (determined by statistical analysis) are two composers whose creative output is phenomenal. Jay Stewart has won the category of Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia, and taking out the Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas for the sixth consecutive year is composer Neil Sutherland. Between them they have composed thousands of hours of music including scores for Survivor, Medical Emergency, Better Homes and Gardens, Mythbusters and Border Security.
Accepting the International Achievement Award for 2013 via a pre-recorded speech was Tropfest founder / Director John Polson. Fresh from another successful Tropfest event just yesterday, John was straight on a plane back to New York City where the hit television series Elementary is currently in production. His absence from the event is living proof that his international success is happening right before our eyes.
For more information and complete list of winners, visit: www.apra-amcos.com.au for details.
Image: Caitlin Yeo