Limelight Magazine: Editor Clive Paget, 23 April 2020 

Now in its sixth year, Fanfare offers a unique opportunity for budding young composers from 12 to 21.

Despite the trials and tribulations of the current COVID-19 crisis, Australian creativity-powerhouse Artology is pressing forward with its 2020 Fanfare Competition.

Now in its sixth year, the annual challenge invites budding young composers from 12 to 21 years of age to come up with a 30-second work. Selected participants are then given the opportunity to work with a pair of mentors – leading Australian composers Nicholas Vines and Lyle Chan – to develop their ideas further. They then attend a live recording session with the Australian Youth Orchestra at Trackdown Studios and the works are broadcast at venues around Australia in place of the regular bells to summon audiences to return to their seats.

This year, Artology is going a step further and, in partnership with the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the Queensland Youth Orchestras, it will present a live concert event where the composers will get to hear all of their works performed.

“You don’t need to have a strong musical background,” say the organisers. “The competition is looking for works that have ‘something to say’ and draw attention.”

Winning participants will receive free travel to attend professional development workshops and events as well as the opportunity to work with industry professionals, a conductor, sound engineers and musicians. They will also receive a copy of the studio recording and qualify for an Australia Theatre for Young People Sound Design Scholarship.

Music teachers keen to get involved are assured that the Fanfare Competition is fully mapped to the Australian curriculum, while Artology offers online classroom activities and student DIY guides.

The partnering venues that will broadcast the winning fanfares include: University of Melbourne Ian Potter Southbank Centre (VIC); Adelaide Festival Centre (SA); Perth Concert Hall (WA); City Recital Hall (NSW); Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QLD) and Theatre North at the Princess (TAS).