9 May 2011
Belinda Webster wins the Don Banks Award
The Australia Council Don Banks Music Award 2011 has been awarded to Belinda Webster, OAM, for her outstanding contribution to Australian music.
For two decades Webster's commitment to commissioning, producing
and recording works through her Tall Poppies label has resulted
in a vast and unique collection of Australian music culture,
preserved for future generations.
Chair of the Australia Council Music Board, composer Matthew
Hindson, presented the $60,000 award in Kangaroo Valley last
Friday at the opening of Arts in the Valley, a biennial festival
of music, dance and sculpture, established by Webster in
2007.
'Belinda's incredible passion and tireless energy for Australian
music has given hundreds of Australia's most talented musicians a
fully professional outlet for their work that would otherwise be
unavailable', says Matthew Hindson. 'She has supported the
careers of countless musicians and composers, capturing their
work and allowing others to enjoy and to be inspired by it.'
Belinda Webster's interest in sound engineering and production
came to fruition during her time at 2MBS radio, where she
produced over 600 live and studio recordings. In 1991, with a
vision to record and distribute Australian music, she founded
Tall Poppies Records, the first company in Australia to focus on
the recording of solo and chamber music. Since then she has
selected and produced over 200 CDs that feature Australian
compositions or performers, often both, with many receiving
awards and critical acclaim. Tall Poppies has commissioned 47 new
works in its 20-year history.
All Tall Poppies CDs are now available through the AMC Online Shop - browse the full Tall Poppies catalogue.
Further links
'Top award goes to a tall poppy of Australian
music' (Australia Council media release)
Tall Poppies catalogue on AMC Online
Tall Poppies Records
(www.tallpoppies.net/)
© Australian Music Centre (2011) — Permission must be obtained from the AMC if you wish to reproduce this article either online or in print.
Subjects discussed by this article:
The Australian Music Centre connects people around the world to Australian composers and sound artists. By facilitating the performance, awareness and appreciation of music by these creative artists, it aims to increase their profile and the sustainability of their art form. Established in 1974, the AMC is now the leading provider of information, resources, materials and products relating to Australian new music.
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