Entry Information
Performance by the entrant of the entrant's own original song/s self-accompanied, with one accompanist or to original backing track. Please pay special attention to structure (e.g. intro, verse, chorus, bridge, solo, verse, chorus, outro). Total performance time of up to 4 minutes, which includes time taken between items.
Adjudicator
Dr Joe Chindamo OAM
After forging an international career as one of the most gifted and virtuosic jazz pianists of his generation—winning a plethora of awards, recording 23 CDs and collaborating with many of the genre’s leading figures—Dr Joe Chindamo OAM has made a complete career about‑face to carve out an astonishing second act as a classical musician and composer.
In a relatively short time, he has become a coveted new compositional voice, receiving commissions from Australia’s leading chamber groups, symphony orchestras and festivals, including:
Chamber ensembles: Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO); Melbourne Chamber Orchestra (MCO); Australian String Quartet (ASQ); Camerata; Ensemble Offspring; Artaria; Goldner String Quartet; Wilma and Friends; Omega Ensemble
Symphony orchestras: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO); Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra (TSO); Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (ASO); Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO)
Festivals: Port Fairy Spring Festival; Queensland Music Festival; Australian Festival of Chamber Music
In 2011, Joe co‑founded a duo with leading violinist Zoë Black. Their long‑standing collaboration has inspired a great number of new compositions for violin and piano. The duo has performed at all the major festivals in Australia and recorded three ARIA‑nominated CDs—Reimaginings, Dido’s Lament and Chindamo’s re‑versioning of The Goldberg Variations—premiering the latter at Weil Hall (Carnegie Hall) New York in 2015.
Recent highlights include:
The commission of This House by the Australian High Commissioner in London for the centenary of Australia House, premiered in November 2018 in the presence of King Charles III (then Prince Charles).
Symphonic and chamber music commissions and performances such as:
Concerto for Drums and Orchestra (MSO, 2018)
Fantaskatto (MSO, 2019)
Concerto for Orchestra (TSO, 2021)
Ligeia, Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra (ASO, 2022)
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (TSO, 2023)
The Next Room for Omega Ensemble
A compositional collaboration with Indigenous composer and didgeridoo performer Chris Williams for the Southern Cross Soloists (May 2025)
In 2022, Joe was added to the Queen’s Birthday Honours list and awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to music and the performing arts.
Important Notes
Lyric sheet is required and must be uploaded to the Sydney Eisteddfod Entrant Portal, no later than two weeks prior to the event. It must be duly signed off by the entrant acknowledging the work's orginality.
Conditions
A guitar amplifier and DI will be available. This song/s may be repeated once in another event. Please refer to the Contemporary Singing Category Rules & Conditions. Your entry is accepted under these conditions.
Prizes
Winner: $200 & Medal 2nd: $150 & Medal 3rd: $100 & Medal