Ben Hauptmann

Tuesday August 10: The Music Council of Australia and Freedman Foundation are delighted to announce Ben Hauptmann the winner of the 2010 MCA/Freedman Fellowship for Jazz.

BEN HAUPTMANN (jazz guitar) studied music at the A.N.U. Canberra School of Music (1998 - 2002) receiving a B.Mus. with 1st class honours in Jazz performance. Ben moved to Sydney where he became involved in a number of projects including the bands Bertie Blackman, The Alcohotlicks, The Translators, King Curly, Wanderlust, Sydney All Star Big Band, John Morrison's New Generation and James Morrison's Band. In 2006 Ben moved to London spending eight months playing, recording and teaching. He performed in Paris, Amsterdam, Jerez and Granada as well as travelling to New York to perform at the 2006 Bass Player Live convention with the Tal Wilkenfeld Trio. In 2007 Ben finished 2nd in the National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz. In 2008 Ben relocated to Melbourne where he worked for a season with the Bell Shakespeare Company at The Malthouse Theatre, performing with Michelle Nicole, Gian Slater & Gerry Hale among others. In 2008 Ben co-released The Alcohotlicks debut album 'You, You' at The Basement in Sydney to much acclaim. Ben will begin playing with Katie Noonan and The Captains and Lior in September/October.

Ben intends to use his Fellowship to represent his personal musical vision, but also develop a culture that brings musicians from Sydney and Melbourne into a dialogue and regular exchange. He says, I have never released an album under my own name. The proposed project presents a unique opportunity to create a recording that presents my musical personality not only by accessing my different musical communities, but also the different instruments I have made a part of my creative identity; guitar, mandolin, banjo, pipa, saz and charango. As well as this wide palette of sound I would also like to include; two drum kits, two basses, saxophone, voice, keyboards.

The judges for 2010, Steve Elphick, Phil Slater and David Theak observed, The standard of all performances were exceptional. Ben Hauptmann is our choice because the beauty of his music shone through in a very individual performance. This is a very personal and mature voice, revealed both in his playing and in his musical vision for his ensemble.

Dick Letts, Director of the MCA said, The thing that was most striking about the Freedmans this year was the diversity among the candidates: Gian Slater’s new vision for the jazz voice both through her own solo singing and the writing for jazz choir; the driving force of Perth composer Mace Francis; writing for big band; the high sophistication of Jackson Harrison's piano playing and the tight ensemble with his trio partners, the Waples brothers; and finally the quite unique invention of winner Ben Hauptmann and his sextet – beautiful music with a surprise around every corner.

The prize money for the Fellowship, inaugurated in 2001, is $15,000 cash and consultations to assist with non-musical aspects of career-building, as well as active support from Music Council personnel during the Fellowship period.

The purpose of the Fellowship is to assist performers up to 36 years of age to further their careers and enhance their abilities as a jazz artist. Nominees propose a specific project to pursue their career objectives, either overseas or within Australia. Part of the judging process involves a public concert at the Sydney Opera House as well as an assessment of their proposed project.

Established in 1998 by Laurence and Kathy Freedman, The Freedman Foundation also supports visual artists, Australian youth projects, and scientific and medical research. The Music Council of Australia is a national music organisation representing the entire breadth of music in Australia.

Photographs: Brian Stewart