Rosemary Austen : Associate Artist
Rosemary Austen was born in Katoomba, New South Wales, in 1958.
After practising as an optometrist in Europe, Africa and Australia for 15 years, Rosemary enrolled at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney, where she studied classical guitar. In 1998 she moved to Tasmania and continued guitar studies at the Conservatorium of Music, before commencing studies in composition under Raffaele Marcellino, Douglas Knehans and Maria Grenfell, while receiving private lessons from Larry Sitsky and Steven Hartke. She also participated in a variety of workshops with Constantine Koukias, Graeme Leak and Ian Munro. In 2003 Rosemary graduated with First Class Honours.
Influence in Rosemary’s work are derived from a number of sources. Her particular fascination for things foreign means that scales and rhythms from other cultures are a feature of her compositional style. Her 10 years in Zimbabwe serves as a key influence.
Her interest in the written work also lends itself to a particular interest in vocal writing. Most recently, Rosemary has utilised the words of women poets from Tasmania, the ACT, Greece, and northern America as the inspiration for her work. To this end, Rosemary has also participated in collaborations with spoken word artist Sue Moss, resulting in an improvisational performance at the Blank and Free Poetry and Prose event, and a multimedia work, The Soaps, which was performed during the Dorothy Awards in 2003.
Rosemary’s music has been performed by the Seymour Group at concerts throughout Tasmania and Sydney. In 2003 The Mulberry Tree was performed by the Melbourne Women’s Choir and Lament for Zimbabwe was performed by the by the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra at Hobart ’s Federation Concert Hall.
Rosemary has been the recipient of a number of grants, including a travel grant from the University of Tasmania in 2001 for the premiere of The Apples Suite in Boise, Idaho, USA . In 2003 Arts Tasmania provided a travel grant for Rosemary to attend the premiere of The Mulberry Tree in Melbourne . And in 2004 Rosemary was artist-in-residence at Lake St Clair, Tasmania, supported by a grant from Arts Tasmania.
Current commissions include a vocal work for Queensland based soprano Julee-anne van der Boor, and a bassoon concerto for Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra principal bassoonist Lisa Storchheim.
During her years in Sydney, Rosemary was an active member of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir and the Sydney Classical Guitar Society. Now living outside Hobart, she divides her time between her compositional activities and part-time work as an optometrist.
Biography provided by the composer — current to September 2005