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MadeBy: composition-to-choreography competition

Media Published Wednesday 24 February 2021
Made By

Call out for Australian art music composer members to submit a work for the chance to score an original dance piece.

A world-first opportunity for Australian creators, presented in partnership by Royal Academy of Dance, OneMusic and APRA AMCOS.

Submissions are due by 17 March 2021; one composer will be selected for the next stage. SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED


Important update!
Due to the popularity of the initiative, we've expanded eligibility criteria to include works that are co-written and/or subject to a publishing or recording agreement (see further details below).

Entries opened today for a world-first composition-to-choreography initiative, MadeBy, an initiative of OneMusic Australia and the Australian arm of the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD).

A $15,000 prize pool is on offer to Australian art music composers and choreographers to create two collaborative ‘works’ and integrate the two cultural sectors which are under immense pressure due to the impact of COVID-19.

MadeBy highlights the business of music and dance, artistic currency and interconnectivity. Together the two industries deliver $15 billion to the country’s bottom line.

The multi-stage competition kicks off today with a call for Australian art music composers to submit an original musical composition in the first part of the competition. Submission of an existing work is highly encouraged. The winning piece will then be featured in a second competition by the RAD for aspiring choreographers, who will create an original dance work in response to the music.

Along with cash prizes, each winner will then be given the unique opportunity and support to collaborate on a brand new work together.

MadeBy 2021 Competition Stages:

Stage One:

  • 24 February 2021: APRA AMCOS invites emerging Australian composers to submit an original composition via online application.
  • 17 March 2021: Entries close
  • 3 May 2021: Winning composer announced (date subject to change)
  • The winning composition becomes the catalyst for stage two.

Stage Two:

  • 17 May 2021: Through RAD, aspiring choreographers will be invited to submit a video of an original dance work in response to the winning submitted musical composition.
  • 20 July 2021: Entries close

Stage Three:

  • September: The winning composer will be paid to write and record an entirely new commissioned work in collaboration the winning choreographer and supported by mentors from each field.
  • 2022: Their combined work will debut.

Mentors and judges

Composer mentor

Cat Hope is an award-winning composer and performer who creates music that is conceptually driven, in animated graphic scores formats for acoustic / electronic combinations and improvisations. She maintains a collaborative practice that sees her work with dance, theatre, film and installation. Her first opera, Speechless, won the Work of the Year: Dramatic at the 2020 Art Music Awards.

Choreography mentor

Alice Topp is a celebrated Australian choreographer and former ballerina with The Australian Ballet whose own choreographic talent was spotted and nurtured by former Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet and Vice President of the RAD, David McAllister AM. Alice herself was mentored by renowned international choreographer Wayne McGregor CBE and is keen to pay it forward to the next generation of aspiring Australian choreographers as the mentor for MadeBY.

Judges

Composition:
Chair: Cameron Lam, APRA AMCOS; Cat Hope, composer and Professor of Composition at Monash University, Melbourne; James Ledger; composer and Chair of Composition at the Conservatorium of Music at the University of Western Australia; Alice Topp, choreographer and former ballerina with The Australian Ballet; Grant Kennedy, RAD Dance Accompanist & Music Services Administrator and Gerard Charles, RAD global Artistic Director.

Choreography:
Chair: Nichola Hall, Royal Academy of Dance (Australia); Cat Hope, Alice Topp, Gerard Charles, David McAllister AM, former Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet and Vice President of the RAD, plus the winning composer.