Leading female composer visits Southern Cross University

The award-winning composer of the score for Gladiator and one of Australia’s most accomplished female singers, Lisa Gerrard, will host workshops at Southern Cross University on August 8 and 9 as part of the Women in Music Program.

Lisa Gerrard, who with Brendan Perry formed the duo ‘Dead Can Dance’, has released more than nine albums and scored or contributed to films including Gladiator, Insider, Ali, Whale Rider, Heat, Baraka, Mission Impossible 2, Black Hawk Down, Tears of The Sun, Nadro, One Perfect Day, Man on Fire, Layer Cake and El Nino de la Luna.

Lisa received Golden Globe nominations for Insider and Ali, Grammy and Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe award for the score of Gladiator and four international awards for Whale Rider.

She will visit the University on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 8 and 9, to host workshops for students in the Bachelor of Contemporary Music program.

Leigh Carriage, lecturer in vocal studies in the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Southern Cross University, said the Women in Music Program was designed to provide access to female role models for the students.

Lisa is one of a long list of national and international musicians who are involved in the program. Lisa Sokolov, the Head of the Voice Faculty at New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts, held a workshop late last month, while others including Diana Anaid, Helen Stowasser and Elana Stone, will visit later this year.

“It benefits all our students, male and female, to be able to meet with female musicians of this calibre. These are really the women who are top in their field. Every one of them has been highly supportive of this program,” Ms Carriage said.

“Women have made a tremendous contribution to Australian contemporary music, yet they remain under-represented especially in non-traditional areas and instrumentals. This program is designed to provide support for our female students and give them the opportunity to set up networks with established musicians.”

As well as hosting workshops and performing, many of the visiting artists make themselves available as mentors on an ongoing basis.

Ms Carriage said the workshops also provided students with an insight into the business side of the music industry and canvassed issues such as copyright.

Southern Cross University’s Bachelor of Contemporary Music is one of the country’s leading music courses, drawing students from around Australia. Students have access to recording studios, EMac lab, specialist electronic dance music studio, large performance space/TV studio and teaching and rehearsal spaces.

For information about the music courses visit the website www.scu.edu.au/arts/