Queensland Music Festival seeks young composers to enter statewide film score competition

QUEENSLAND high school students keen to follow in the legendary footsteps of film composers such as Ennio Morricone and John Williams are encouraged to enter Queensland Music Festival’s (QMF) annual state-wide competition Score IT!, which closes on May 18.

Budding high school composers are invited to create an original composition to accompany a short animated film produced by Griffith Film School, with winning entries to be performed by a live orchestra in July 2018.

There are three categories for entry: Score IT! Junior (year 7-10) will see students create a score for The Forest, the story of a young monk who must help a deer in order to restore peace to the forest. Score IT! Senior (year 11-12) entrants will use The Poet and the King for inspiration, the story of a king who attempts to win the love of a court poet with a series of terrible poems. Score IT! Plus (year 7-12) comes with the added challenge of composing for specified instrumentation and submitting a written score to Sweep, the story of the young chimney sweeper who rescues a cat to try and win a girl’s heart.

Entries will be judged by an expert panel including QMF Artistic Director Katie Noonan, award-winning screen composer Cameron Patrick, known for orchestrating films such as Spiderman: Homecoming, Zootopia, Jurassic World, UP, Jupiter Ascending, and Star Trek: Into Darkness, as well as industry leaders from Griffith Film School, Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Queensland School of Film and Television and PixelFrame.

QMF Artistic Director Katie Noonan said Score IT! would help inspire the next generation of composers.

“Music speaks - without words. I can recall many film scores that have moved me throughout the years, and I can’t wait to hear what our talented young composers come up with for the three beautiful animations produced by Griffith Film School students,” Ms Noonan said.

“Many past Score IT! participants have gone on to study music at university and are still following their passion, which is exactly why we started this Queensland Music Festival project in the first place.”

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said Score IT! was a wonderful initiative that encouraged Queensland’s young creatives to test their skills and create an imaginative film score.

“The Queensland Government supports the Queensland Music Festival and Score IT! as part of our commitment to fostering a vibrant, sustainable and accessible arts sector, including nurturing our emerging artists and musicians.

“QMF does a great job of delivering outstanding legacy programs and projects for our state, and I look forward to Score IT! and the other exciting events in store for 2018,” Ms Enoch said.

Finalists will be invited to take part in a number of composition workshops and masterclasses led by senior lecturers and practitioners from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University in July, and will also take part in a half-day workshop with top video and digital agency, PixelFrame.

The winners will take home RØDE Microphones recording gear, and the winning Score IT! Plus composition will be performed by students from Queensland Conservatorium – Griffith University at Griffith Film School on 25 July 2018.

Composer Cameron Patrick said music was key to creating a film’s emotional highs and lows.

“Each of the short films alludes to a specific geographical setting, and while not absolutely required, the students might want to incorporate certain instrumental sampled sounds to give the audience an immediate association with that place.”

“Perhaps Tibetan instruments like the Piwang could be used for The Forest in the Junior competition.  For The Poet and the King, the Persian Setar might be a good choice. In Sweep for the Plus competition, while not explicitly set in London, students might want to explore an English or even European flavour. YouTube is a wonderful resource for researching, watching and listening when it comes to instruments from other cultures,” Mr Patrick said.

Score IT! is presented by QMF and Brisbane City Council and supported by Griffith Film School Griffith University, Queensland Conservatorium – Griffith University, APRA AMCOS, Queensland School of Film and Television, PixelFrame and RØDE Microphones.

For more information visit qmf.org.au.

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