We are thrilled to announce that the 2019 recipient of the Jann Rutherford Memorial Award (JRMA) is guitarist Hilary Geddes

“a fine guitarist and a discerning sonic sculptor”
(7/1/2019 SMH, John Shand reviewing the Mike Nock Noctet)

As winner of the 2019 Award, Hilary and her band will:

Perform at the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival on 10^thNovember at Foundry616
Perform at the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival in December
Record for ABC Jazz
Develop a professional promotional kit, including a photo shoot with Camille Walsh

Hilary is an alumnus of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, graduating in 2018 with First Class Honours. While there, she also completed a two-semester exchange at the Hochschule für Künste Bremen in Bremen, Germany. She is a member of the Sydney Women’s Jazz Collective, lead guitarist in Bonnie Kay and the Bonafides and plays in 90s garage outfit The Buoys. Hilary spent two weeks in Tasmania as part of the Australian Art Orchestra Creative Music Intensive in 2018. Her improvising ability is highlighted in creative projects such as SCAPES: Soundmapping Woollahra Precinct, the duo project Underwards with trumpeter Ellen Kirkwood and her trio Space Safe.

The Jann Rutherford Memorial Award will enable Hilary to record and release her debut jazz album, On Place, which will consist of brand new compositions written over the course of this year. Supported by the stellar line-up of Matthew Harris (piano), Maximillian Alduca (bass) and Alexander Inman-Hislop (drums), the album will examine the temporality of place through episodic, self-contained works that act as an entry point into exploring the reflexive relationship of how our environments shape us and vice versa. Watch this short video to find out more about Hilary’s music and her Award https://vimeo.com/358607521

The Jann Rutherford Memorial Award was founded in 2005 to assist in the professional development of an outstanding young female jazz musician. The Award is named in honour of the late jazz pianist Jann Rutherford, and is funded by private donations in partnership with the Mietta Foundation, Sydney Improvised Music Association, Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival and ABC Jazz.