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11 July 2011

Matt Keegan wins Freedman fellowship


Matt Keegan Image: Matt Keegan  

Saxophonist/composer Matt Keegan has been awarded the 2011 MCA/Freedman Fellowship for Jazz. The announcement was made on Friday night (8 July 2011) in a concert showcasing the four finalists: Matt Keegan, Tom O'Halloran (piano/composer), Ben Vanderwal (drums) and John Parker (drums). Parker was a last-minute substitute for Evan Mannell, who withdrew for family reasons and will automatically be a finalist in 2012.

Matt Keegan plays saxophone in a number of Sydney bands and has performed and toured with artists such as Guy Sebastian and Jackie Orszaczky. He has performed in festivals both nationally and internationally, most notably the Tokyo Jazz Festival, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and Womadelaide. Currently Keegan performs regularly for the Musica Viva in Schools program with The World According to James.

The inaugural MCA/Freedman Jazz Fellowship awards the winner with a $15,000 cash prize along with consultations to assist with non-musical aspects of career-building. The winner also receives active support from Music Council personnel for the duration of their fellowship period.

The purpose of the fellowship is to assist performers up to 36 years of age to further their careers and enhance their abilities as a jazz artist. Nominees propose a specific project to pursue their career objectives, either overseas or within Australia. Keegan intends to initiate a creative development project between a select group of his musical peers from India and Australia.

Established in 1998 by Laurence and Kathy Freedman, the Freedman Foundation also supports visual artists, Australian youth projects, and scientific and medical research. The Music Council of Australia is a national music organisation representing the entire breadth of music in Australia.

The judging panel of the 2011 MCA/Freedman Fellowship for Jazz consisted of Mark Isaacs, Stu Hunter and Toby Hall.

Further links

Matt Keegan Trio - MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/mattkeegantrio)
Matt Keegan - interview & performance on The Music Show, with guitarist Cameron Deyell (ABC Radio National, 9 July 2011)
Music Council of Australia (http://www.mca.org.au/)


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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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