31 March 2009
Australian Music Centre redefines the online world of Australian music
Music lovers, festival programmers, teachers, students, and the creators and performers of original Australian music across the globe now have an indispensable new resource in Australian Music Centre Online at www.australianmusiccentre.com.au
The dynamic new website increases access to Australian Music Centre’s massive and ever-growing collection of works and information about Australian art music – including diverse genres from contemporary classical, improvisatory and jazz to experimental music and sound art.
To be officially launched in late April 2009, Australian Music Centre Online is the result of more than five years of planning, development and work. The site already incorporates over 21,000 newly digitised works from the Centre’s collection – and there are many more to come. Biographies of 530 composers, improvisers and sound artists are included and there are some 30 guided tours of major works and themes in the history of Australian music.
Featured throughout the site are over 2600 audio samples, including 35 integrated links to full length recordings hosted by the ABC’s Classic Amp website.
An advanced repertoire finder includes more than 1000 sample scores for teachers, students, orchestras and ensembles to try, with some available for download, and there is an online shop with CDs, books and education kits for sale.
Australian Music Centre’s well-respected magazine, Resonate, has been incorporated into the site, making nearly 300 news, reviews and feature articles available to all readers free for the first time.
Last but by no means least – Australian Music Centre Online includes a comprehensive national events calendar which already has over 320 listings in it, with links to information about people and works, and a click-through to buy tickets.
Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the site is the use of a unique cataloguing system which cross-references material to provide contextualised information in new ways. Visitors can quickly discover connections between creators, works, influences, products, performances, events, commentary and critical discourse to gain a much richer picture than has been available before.
The Australian Music Centre is proud to celebrate its 35th anniversary with the delivery of this remarkable new online tool for the promotion of the performance and appreciation of Australian art music. It provides a great new resource for the discovery of the diverse and inspirational world of Australian music for newcomers and afficionados alike.
Australian Music Centre Online has been made possible with the generous support of the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australasian Performing Right Association and the assistance of partners, the National Library of Australia and ABC Classic FM. Additional investment from the Australian Research Council, the University of Western Sydney and Edith Cowan University will enable further development of the site.
Australian Music Centre Online
Breaking sound barriers
© Australian Music Centre (2009) — Permission must be obtained from the AMC if you wish to reproduce this article either online or in print.
The Australian Music Centre connects people around the world to Australian composers and sound artists. By facilitating the performance, awareness and appreciation of music by these creative artists, it aims to increase their profile and the sustainability of their art form. Established in 1974, the AMC is now the leading provider of information, resources, materials and products relating to Australian new music.
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