Queensland Music Festival to unearth new talent in 2017

QMF Cameron Patrick and Jack CartyQueensland Music Festival (QMF) has launched a statewide search to unearth new talent among aspiring young musicians – entries are now open for the chance to take part in two exciting festival events in 2017.

Young singer-songwriters in regional Queensland are invited to enter On Song – a competition to win the opportunity of a lifetime – to be mentored by and perform alongside award-winning singer-songwriter Jack Carty during the 2017 festival in July.

QMF’s annual film composing competition, Score IT! challenges Queensland secondary school students to test their skills and create an imaginative film score. Compositions will be judged by an expert panel including QMF Artistic Director Katie Noonan, leading lecturers and experts from Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and the Griffith Film School as well as acclaimed Hollywood composer and orchestrator Cameron Patrick.

In addition to the two competitions, QMF will also engage over 50,000 school students in the outback and beyond with their Youth Touring Program, a year-long program of music, drama and dance performances and workshops that aim to inspire a lifelong love of the creative arts among young Queenslanders.

QMF Artistic Director Katie Noonan is enthusiastic about celebrating the depth of talent in the state’s rural and regional areas, and the opportunities on offer to young Queenslanders in 2017.

“QMF is 150 per cent committed to providing young Queenslanders of all ages, in all corners of our vast state an opportunity to discover and hone their musical talents, whether it’s through singing, playing an instrument or creating a score,” said Ms Noonan. “QMF played a major role in kickstarting my career, and I am passionate about young musicians from Brisbane to Cape York having the same opportunities through our programs and events.”

On Song offers primary and secondary school students in regional and remote areas the opportunity to refine their craft and learn about the music industry by workshopping original songs and performing alongside Australian success story Jack Carty.

The poetic singer-songwriter has performed to audiences across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, and was named a recipient of the 2015 APRA Professional Development Awards. Jack himself grew up in a small town in regional New South Wales.

“Growing up in Bellingen, a small rural town near the northern NSW coast, I understand how hard it can be for students to find places to perform, work with other musicians and develop their skills with teachers and mentors,” said Mr Carty said. “It’s really important to have people you can bounce your ideas off, and where you live shouldn’t be a disadvantage to accessing that.”

To be considered for selection for the workshops and further mentoring with Jack, songwriters, soloists or duos in primary or secondary schools from Queensland (excluding Brisbane City, Redland City, Logan City, Ipswich City, Gold Coast City, Moreton Bay Regional, Sunshine Coast Regional and Noosa Shire) can submit an original song online via QMF’s website.

The five finalists selected will receive online mentoring from Jack before he rolls into each finalist’s hometown in July with his travelling guitar, and performs alongside the finalist in a local concert. Two of the finalists will have the chance to showcase their songs at a special concert in Brisbane.

Score IT! – an annual QMF program eagerly anticipated by young film composers, throws down the gauntlet to young composers across Queensland to create a unique and original composition to accompany a short film.

There are three categories for entry: Score IT! Junior (Years 7-10), Score IT! Senior (Years 11-12), and Score IT! Plus (Years 7-12). The Score IT! Plus category involves the added challenge of composing for specified instrumentation and submitting a written score.

Cameron Patrick, a highly accomplished composer and orchestrator, having worked on Hollywood blockbusters such as Jurassic World, Inside Out and Star Trek, has been an integral part of ScoreIT! since the program has been running.

“Every year that I’m involved with Score IT!, I’m constantly amazed at the calibre of the submissions we receive across all the categories,” said Mr Patrick. “The creativity and quality of the scores and the maturity of musical expression never ceases to amaze me.”

Entries for On Song close on Friday 31 March, and entries for Score IT! close on Friday 19 May 2017. To register and submit an entry, visit: www.qmf.org.au for details.

Image: Cameron Patrick and Jack Carty