Do you love what the Decibel new music ensemble does? If you can, there is an opportunity to contribute.
Those of you who subscribe to this blog know how important Decibel new music ensemble is to me. It kickstarted my composition career, and continues to be a key aspect of my life as an artist. This out-of-the-usual blog post is a request for those who have capacity to support this small, artist run, non for profit arts organisation in our plight to commission, perform and record new Australian music in our 17th year.
I founded the Decibel new music ensemble with our first ever concert ‘Tape It’ at the main auditorium at WAAPA in Western Australia on September 10, 2009. It showcased my 2nd ever notated composition. I had just finished my PhD and wanted to do something different and more collaborative.
It began with 6 of us - 4 staff and 2 recent graduates of WAAPA. That line up has changed little in the 17 years; Aaron Wyatt (viola) replaced Dan Russell (violin) a year in, and Malcom Riddoch (electronics) was replaced by Louise Devenish (percussion) around 6 years in.
This stable line up, and our consistent dedication to a simple goal - to focus on Australian music where electronic and acoustic instruments are combined - has led to a unique collaborative spirit that makes our performances unique.
We have commissioned over 135 new works since our foundation, over 90% of these Australian, and just over half of them from Western Australian composers, a majority of them emerging. These Australian works have featured in over 34 unique concerts since our foundation, many of which have been toured through Australia, the UK, Japan, Malaysia and Europe. They are also featured in books published by us; 3 to date. Our innovative scoring tools are the subject of international academic scholarship. The works have featured on 12 albums in this time, 9 focusing exclusively on Australian music.
For the first time in our history, we are running an open fundraising campaign not tied to any project.
The arts funding landscape in Australia is changing, and this is an opportunity to support us as an independent, artist-run, non for profit, charitable, incorporated organisation. Our outcomes to date demonstrate our ongoing commitment to creating, performing and recording new, innovative Australian music, and I really think that is something to be celebrated.
Whilst we are sometimes supported by project grants, most often with the generous support of government agencies such as Creative Australia and the WA Government Department of Creative Industry, Tourism and Sport, running a new music ensemble involves activities outside the scope of project based funding arrangements.
I proudly donate my time as the artistic director of this ensemble. I am proud to curate the composers we commission, the programs we perform, the albums we make, the tours we undertake. I am asking if you too would be prepared to make a contribution to Decibel, by way of a tax deductible donation.
There are a range of rewards in the form of our books and recordings - none of them as good as the warm fuzzy feeling you will get knowing you are making a contribution to the evolution of Australian music.