Monday 29th
June
 |
| Composer,pianist, entrepreneur, Sally Greenaway. |
Who would
have thought that the life of a jobbing composer could be so stimulating and
entertaining? But then Sally Greenaway is no ordinary composer, as members of
the Canberra Critics Circle discovered when the engaged her in conversation in the
second session of the 2015 series of “Conversations with the Canberra Critics
Circle.
Not only is
Sally a gifted composer for hire, she’s also an arranger and pianist with her
own jazz ensemble, as well as a passionate and enthusiastic entrepreneur.
Sally studied
jazz piano at the ANU School of Music, and is a graduate of the Royal College
of Music, London, who during her London stay played jazz piano on Steinway’s
unique “Ferrari” grand piano at the London Chopin Festival and on Liberace’s
rhinestone grand piano at the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair.
A prodigious
composer, her compositions cover a vast array of styles and genres, including
numerous classical chamber works, several works for jazz big bands, and more
that 20 film soundtracks.
Her music
has been performed by the Australian Youth Orchestra, the Canberra Symphony
Orchestra, the Finnish vocal sextet, Rajaton, the Mothership Orchestra, the
Royal Military College Big Band, the Woden Valley Youth Choir, the Melbourne
Composer’s Big Band and numerous community and school ensembles.
Sally's many
awards include winning the APRA JazzGroove Mothership Orchestra National Big Band Composition
Competition in 2008, the Canberra International Music Festival Young Composer
Award in 2009 and being a finalist in the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra
Composition Contest USA in 2013.
The ABC
Classics record label has just released her latest CD, “Aubade & Nocturne” a
superbly produced showcase featuring 16 of her compositions.
In response
to questions from the Circle, Sally gave many candid insights into her work as
a professional composer and performer. She spoke about how she finally
persuaded her parents to let her learn to play piano; how she discovered her
ability to compose, and about the discipline required to compose to a
commission deadline.
 |
| Sally Greenaway |
She revealed
how she developed the skills necessary to allow her to compose fluently for
multiple instrumentation, and how she learned to negotiate fees and contracts. She
talked about her enthusiasm for composing for films, symphony orchestras and
special commissions, and confided that she had insisted on being involved in
every aspect of the production of the ABC Classics recording “Aubade & Nocturne”, describing the process, which included stripping nude to be painted
with flowers for the stunning cover photograph.
She then surprised everyone by generously gifting each of those present with a copy of her superb CD “Aubade & Nocturne”.
She then surprised everyone by generously gifting each of those present with a copy of her superb CD “Aubade & Nocturne”.
The next “In
Conversations with the Canberra Critics Circle” will be held at CMAG on Monday 6th
July when the special guest will be distinguished ceramicist, Janet DeBoos.
Bill
Stephens
