Alice Chance and Chloe Kim lead stellar lineup of Australian talent receiving prestigious funding.
Melbourne Recital Centre has unveiled the recipients of two significant commissions supporting Australian musical talent creating new works in 2025.
The prestigious Merlyn Myer Music Commission goes to established composers Alice Chance and Chloe Kim 김예지, while emerging talents Moses Kington-Walberg and Lilijana Matičevska receive the inaugural Marshall McGuire Emerging Composer Commission.
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Chance and Kim will collaborate on a work to be performed by Syzygy Ensemble, continuing the Merlyn Myer legacy supporting female composers in Australia. The commission provides $12,000 to the composers, with Melbourne Recital Centre covering additional costs associated with presentation and documentation.
“It is a huge honour to be a recipient of the Merlyn Myer Commission and to have the opportunity to collaborate with artists I deeply respect,” said Alice Chance. “Chloe and I have cooked up a project involving improvisation and joy-led composition methods from our unique musical backgrounds to create a work that reflects on how we might distill joy in music.”
Chloe Kim added, “One of life’s greatest blessings is being a full-time musician. To now embark on a new work with the brilliant Alice Chance, whose every artistic decision sparks excitement, is a privilege beyond words.”
The Merlyn Myer Music Commission, established in memory of Dame Merlyn Myer (1900-1982), has previously been awarded to Sally Greenaway, Andrea Keller, Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO, Nat Bartsch and Brenda Gifford.
Meanwhile, the inaugural Marshall McGuire Emerging Composer Commission, honouring the outgoing Director of Programming, selects two promising composers from the University of Melbourne’s graduating class. Kington-Walberg and Matičevska will receive their first paid commissions, benefiting from creative development sessions at Melbourne Recital Centre and performances by Rubiks Collective.
“It’s really exciting to have the space and support to develop something new, especially in a setting that genuinely values experimentation. Opportunities like this are rare but crucial for young composers, and I’m honoured to be selected,” said Moses Kington-Walberg.
Lilijana Matičevska described her excitement about collaborating with Rubiks Collective: “They’re extremely good at making sounds, especially when performing together. Electrifying.”
Both commissions reflect Melbourne Recital Centre’s ongoing commitment to nurturing Australian musical talent across career stages, ensuring new compositions are not only created but performed, heard and recorded in Australia’s premier acoustic venues.
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