News Archive

Not only is the School celebrating the appointment of Clarinettist extraordinaire Ashley William Smith as the Head of Woodwind and Contemporary Performance and Artist in Residence (see newsroom article, ‘Young Genius appointed to the School of Music’) we are absolutely delighted to announce the recent ARIA bestowed on the talented Mr James Ledger (Lecturer in Composition) for his collaboration with Paul Kelly, Genevieve Lacey and musicians from Australian National Academy of Musicians (ANAM). ‘ Conversations With Ghosts’ won Best Original Soundtrack in the Fine Arts and Artisan Winners category. An amazing collaboration which has resulted in a transcendent soundtrack.

On Saturday the School celebrated its Culmination concert in Winthrop Hall with a rousing performance of Walton’s Spitfire Prelude and Fugue and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 by the UWA Symphony Orchestra . Under the expert Baton of the Head of School, Dr Alan Lourens, the orchestra performed with clarity and finesse. Violinist Riley Skevington took out both the Vose Memorial Prize and the People’s Choice award with his meticulous performance of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 . It was a double celebration for Riley having recently been accepted into ANAM, Australia's premier institution for training young classical musicians, following in the footsteps of other School of Music graduates including Ashley. Credit to Riley’s two competitors, fellow Vose finalists Alessandro Pittorino playing Guilmant’s Introduction et Allegro from Symphony No. 1 on Winthrop Hall’s grandiose organ and Ben Pallagi, playing Weber’s Allegro from Clarinet Concerto No. 2 . Alessandro played admirably and provided some theatre to the evening whilst Ben’s playing was effortless and melodic.

Closing 2013 on such a high leaves us excited about an exhilarating 2014.

Media references

Dr Alan Lourens , Head of School (School of Music) (61 +8) 6488 1031

Danielle Loiseau , Administrative Officer (School of Music) (61 +8) 6488 3994 (Monday – Wednesday)

Pip White , Administrative Officer (School of Music) (+61 8) 6488 7835 (Thursday & Friday)

Michael Sinclair-Jones , (UWA Public Affairs) (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 00 700 783