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Gordon Kerry

{{Short description|Australian composer, music administrator and music critic}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}

{{Use Australian English|date=July 2018}}

Gordon Kerry (born 1961) is an Australian composer, music administrator, music writer and music critic.

Career

Kerry studied composition at the University of Melbourne under Barry Conyngham. He then worked for the Sydney Festival and resided in Sydney for the next 16 years.Robin Usher, "Hills once more alive with opera", The Age, 6 January 2004, A3, p. 7 After the retirement of Fred Blanks, Kerry was invited to become a music critic for the Sydney Morning Herald. In April 1997 he was appointed artistic administrator for Musica Viva Australia,Bernadette Cruise, "A remarkable year for a Sydney composer", The Canberra Times, 11 April 1997, Arts & Entertainment, p. 11 a post he held for 18 months but left as he had too little time to compose. He then became the organisation's musical adviser. He also contributes pieces for Limelight and The Australian's Review of Books.

Bright Meniscus was inspired by J. R. Rowland's poem "Canberra in April" and was premiered by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra in May 1997.

In 2009, he was awarded the Ian Potter Established Composer Fellowship. His book New Classical Music: Composing Australia was published by UNSW Press in 2009.[http://www.plexuscollective.com/gordon-kerry/ Plexus]. Retrieved 28 December 2017

His Clarinet Concerto was commissioned by Symphony Australia and was premiered on 21 August 2002, with soloist Francesco Celata and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder. It includes a short quotation from Kerry's "Fioritura", a short solo piece written for Celata."Going solo", ABC radio 24 Hours, August 2002, p. 76

In 2012 he was Musica Viva Australia's Composer-in-Residence.[https://musicavivaaustralia.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/interview-with-gordon-kerry-part-2/ Musica Viva Australia Blog]. Retrieved 28 December 2017

On 16 May 2012, Kerry's opera Midnight Son was premiered at the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, by Victorian Opera. Its libretto was by Louis Nowra, and it was directed by Nicki Wendt. The opera was based on the 2005 murder of Maria Korp by her husband Joe Korp's lover Tania Herman, and Joe Korp's subsequent suicide (it was originally to be called Korp).Karl Quinn, "Too soon? Dark opera based on Korp case ready for opening night", The Age, 15 May 2012, p. 5 Principal soloists were Antoinette Halloran and Byron Watson.Xenia Hanusiak, "Notes from a lethal love affair", The Age, 12 May 2012, Life&Style, p. 25 Although all the names were changed, members of the Korp family and victims of crime organisations criticised the production for lack of sensitivity.Gina McColl, "Opera based on notorious murder", The Age, 13 Aug 2011, p. 5

His Violin Concerto "So Dreams Thy Sails" was commissioned by Andrew and Fiona Johnston, and scored for solo violin, harp, horns and strings. It was written as a homage to Kerry's father's 90th birthday, and was premiered on 30 October 2016, with soloist Helena Rathbone and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.[https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/features/gordon-kerry-sets-sail-on-a-90th-birthday-commission/ "A 90th birthday commission"], Limelight, October 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2017

His opera The Snow Queen (libretto by John Kinsella, based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen) was commissioned by Victorian Opera, and was premiered in Wodonga on 3 November 2017, conducted by Richard Mills.

Since 2002 he has lived with his partner in Sandy Creek, overlooking Lake Hume in northern Victoria, not far from Wodonga."The Icewoman cometh", Limelight, November 2017, p. 25

Selected other works

Awards and nominations

= APRA Music Awards =

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).{{cite web|url=http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History.aspx |title=APRA History |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |access-date=7 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920230857/http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History.aspx |archive-date=20 September 2010 |url-status=dead }} They include the Art Music Awards, which are distributed by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre (AMC).{{cite web|url=http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/ClassicalAwards.aspx |title=Classical Awards |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |access-date=7 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928221321/http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/apraawards/classicalawards.aspx |archivedate=28 September 2010 |url-status=dead }}

{{awards table}}

!{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

|-

| 2018 || "String Quintet No. 2" (Gordon Kerry) for Australian String Quartet and Pieter Wispelwey || Work of the Year – Instrumental || {{nom}} || {{cite web | url = http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2018-awards/art-music-awards/full-list-of-winners/ | title = Art Music Awards Full List of Winners | publisher = Australian Music Centre (AMC) | access-date = 14 October 2018 }}{{cite web | url = http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2018-awards/art-music-awards/performance-of-the-year/ | title = Performance of the Year | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) | Australian Music Centre (AMC) | year = 2018 | access-date = 15 October 2018 }}

|-

| 2021 || Clarinet Quartet (Kerry) for Omega Ensemble || Work of the Year: Chamber Music || {{nom}} || {{cite web | url = https://www.apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/awards/art-music-awards-2021#_188904 | title = Winners & Finalists | publisher = APRA AMCOS {{!}} Australian Music Centre (AMC) | date = 9 September 2021 | access-date = 9 September 2021 }}

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References

{{reflist}}

External sources

  • {{Official website|gordonkerry.com/}}
  • [http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/artist/kerry-gordon Australian Music Centre]
  • [http://musictrust.com.au/loudmouth/inside-the-musician-gordon-kerry-the-undiscovered-continent/ "Inside the Musician. Gordon Kerry: The undiscovered continent"] by Australian Music Trust

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Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:Date of birth missing (living people)

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Australian arts administrators

Category:Australian composers

Category:Australian music critics

Category:Musicians from Victoria (state)

Category:University of Melbourne alumni