Resonate Magazine | Australian Music Centre

Image: Louise Devenish; Xani Kolac*  
© *Oli Sansom

Dr Louise Devenish and Xani Kolac have been announced as the Australian Classical:NEXT Fellows of 2024.

The Australian Music Centre has been an international partner of the Classical:NEXT Fellowship Programme since 2017, supporting Australian creators and industry professionals in the contemporary space to connect with the international community. Fellows have the opportunity to attend this year's Classical:NEXT conference in Berlin, Germany, with additional mentorship from a seasoned Classical:NEXT veteran and access to networking events to support them in carving new opportunities in global music market.

Both Melbourne (Naarm) based creators, the Fellows were selected as first-time Classical:NEXT attendees. The Fellowship program aims to support the next stage of their creative careers, extending from an innovative portfolio as performers and composers and their contributions to Australian music. Independently, the two Fellows have also been selected to represent Australia at Classical:NEXT through other streams of the conference.

Louise is an academic and percussionist whose creative practice blends performance, artistic research and collaboration with composers, visual artists, designers and improvisors. As a soloist, collaborator, and ensemble musician (Decibel, The Sound Collectors, and others), Louise has premiered over 100 new works throughout her career. Now, with an established a body of original works, she aims to develop an international profile as a platform to give her works longer lives.

At Classical:NEXT, Louise will present a Project Pitch on Alluvial Gold, her first major solo work, co-developed with Stuart James and Erin Coates. The work is also her first to be performed at an international level, following an album release through Huddersfield Contemporary Records in February, national Australian performances in 2023, and the premiere in Perth (Boorloo) in 2022.

Xani is a violinist whose music practice reflects a unique versatility and innovative spirit, spanning collaborations with singer-songwriters, jazz musicians, and contemporary classical artists. She is committed to pushing the traditionality of classical boundaries of violin playing through improvisation, electronic effects and live looping, and was awarded Best Musician at the 2022 Music Victoria Awards, amongst other nominations.

Xani will perform a showcase at Classical:NEXT, performing her work to international peers and industry representatives.

Represented by CEO Catherine Haridy, the AMC will be present at Classical:NEXT in Berlin, alongside our colleagues from Sounds Australia, to support Australian delegates and connect with the international art music industry.