{{Short description|Australian composer, music administrator and music critic}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2018}}

'''Gordon Kerry''' (born 1961) is an Australian composer, music administrator, music writer and music critic.

==Career==

Kerry studied composition at the University of Melbourne under Barry Conyngham. He then worked for the Sydney Festival<ref name=bern/> and resided in Sydney for the next 16 years.<ref name=robin>Robin Usher, "Hills once more alive with opera", ''The Age'', 6 January 2004, A3, p. 7</ref> After the retirement of Fred Blanks, Kerry was invited to become a music critic for the ''Sydney Morning Herald''.<ref name=litson /> In April 1997 he was appointed artistic administrator for Musica Viva Australia,<ref name=bern>Bernadette Cruise, "A remarkable year for a Sydney composer", ''The Canberra Times'', 11 April 1997, Arts & Entertainment, p. 11</ref> a post he held for 18 months but left as he had too little time to compose. He then became the organisation's musical adviser.<ref name=litson /> He also contributes pieces for ''Limelight'' and ''The Australian's Review of Books''.<ref name=litson />

''Bright Meniscus'' was inspired by J. R. Rowland's poem "Canberra in April" and was premiered by the Canberra Symphony Orchestra in May 1997.<ref name=bern/>

In 2009, he was awarded the Ian Potter Established Composer Fellowship. His book ''New Classical Music: Composing Australia'' was published by UNSW Press in 2009.<ref>[http://www.plexuscollective.com/gordon-kerry/ Plexus]. Retrieved 28 December 2017</ref>

His Clarinet Concerto was commissioned by Symphony Australia and was premiered on 21 August 2002, with soloist Francesco Celata and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder. It includes a short quotation from Kerry's "Fioritura", a short solo piece written for Celata.<ref>"Going solo", ''ABC radio 24 Hours'', August 2002, p. 76</ref>

In 2012 he was Musica Viva Australia's Composer-in-Residence.<ref>[https://musicavivaaustralia.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/interview-with-gordon-kerry-part-2/ Musica Viva Australia Blog]. Retrieved 28 December 2017</ref>

On 16 May 2012, Kerry's opera ''Midnight Son'' was premiered at the Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, by Victorian Opera. Its libretto was by Louis Nowra, and it was directed by Nicki Wendt. The opera was based on the 2005 murder of Maria Korp by her husband Joe Korp's lover Tania Herman, and Joe Korp's subsequent suicide (it was originally to be called ''Korp'').<ref name=quinn>Karl Quinn, "Too soon? Dark opera based on Korp case ready for opening night", ''The Age'', 15 May 2012, p. 5</ref> Principal soloists were Antoinette Halloran and Byron Watson.<ref>Xenia Hanusiak, "Notes from a lethal love affair", ''The Age'', 12 May 2012, Life&Style, p. 25</ref> Although all the names were changed, members of the Korp family and victims of crime organisations criticised the production for lack of sensitivity.<ref>Gina McColl, "Opera based on notorious murder", ''The Age'', 13 Aug 2011, p. 5</ref><ref name=quinn/>

His Violin Concerto "So Dreams Thy Sails" was commissioned by Andrew and Fiona Johnston, and scored for solo violin, harp, horns and strings. It was written as a homage to Kerry's father's 90th birthday, and was premiered on 30 October 2016, with soloist Helena Rathbone and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.<ref>[https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/features/gordon-kerry-sets-sail-on-a-90th-birthday-commission/ "A 90th birthday commission"], ''Limelight'', October 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2017</ref>

His opera ''The Snow Queen'' (libretto by John Kinsella, based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen) was commissioned by Victorian Opera, and was premiered in Wodonga on 3&nbsp;November 2017, conducted by Richard Mills.<ref name=ice/>

Since 2002 he has lived with his partner in Sandy Creek, overlooking Lake Hume<ref name=robin/> in northern Victoria, not far from Wodonga.<ref name=ice>"The Icewoman cometh", ''Limelight'', November 2017, p. 25</ref>

==Selected other works==

* Sinfonietta (1992, for the Perth International Arts Festival)<ref name=bern/> * Opera ''Medea'' (1993; libretto by Justin Macdonnell);<ref name=bern/> it has been staged in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Washington, Berlin, Düsseldorf<ref name=litson/> * ''Variations for Orchestra'' (1998; Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Markus Stenz<ref name=bern/><ref name=litson>Jo Litson, "Take a deep breath", ''The Weekend Australian'', 27–28 March 1999, Review, p. 19</ref> * Cello Concerto (1997–98; Truls Mørk, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Michael Halász)<ref name=bern/> * ''Piano Sonata for Ian Munro'' (1997–98)<ref name=bern/> * ''Harmonie'', wind quintet (1997–98, Canberra Wind Soloists)<ref name=bern/> * Seven Improvisations for Cello and Percussion, April 1999, Sue-Ellen Paulsen and Tom O'Kelly, Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music<ref name=litson/> * Viola Concerto, SSO, 28 April 1999<ref name=litson/> * ''Such Sweet Thunder'', 30 September 1999, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Markus Stenz<ref name=litson/> * Piano duo, for Michael Kieran Harvey and Bernadette Harvey Balkus, 2000<ref name=litson/> * ''Breathtaking'', mezzo-soprano, piano, 4 winds, 9 May 1999, Southern Cross Soloists<ref name=litson/> * ''Blue Latitudes'', 29 January 2000, Wigmore Hall, London, Nash Ensemble<ref name=litson/> * Cantata ''Through the Fire'', commemorating the 2002/3 northern Victorian bushfires, Opera in the Alps Festival, Beechworth, 24 January 2004<ref name=robin/> * In iubilo, Concert Overture (2010) - Commissioned for the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra<ref>{{Cite web |title=In iubilo : concert overture by Gordon Kerry : Work : Australian Music Centre |url=https://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/work/kerry-gordon-in-iubilo |access-date=2024-10-28 |website=www.australianmusiccentre.com.au}}</ref> * Opera ''Snow White and Other Grimm Tales'' (2015; libretto by John Kinsella)<ref name=ice/> * Clarinet Quintet (2019, for clarinetist David Rowden and Omega Ensemble) * ''Splendera''<ref name=bern/> * Completion of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ''Requiem'', commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.<ref>[http://contextjournal.music.unimelb.edu.au/context/files/2016/08/38_Wade-rxmf49.pdf James Wade, ‘Where Words Cannot Reach’: An Interview with Gordon Kerry]. Retrieved 28 December 2017</ref>

== Awards and nominations ==

=== APRA Music Awards ===

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA).<ref name="APRAMusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History.aspx |title=APRA History |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |access-date=7 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920230857/http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History.aspx |archive-date=20 September 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> They include the Art Music Awards, which are distributed by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre (AMC).<ref name="APRAClassical">{{cite web|url=http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/ClassicalAwards.aspx |title=Classical Awards |publisher=Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) |access-date=7 September 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928221321/http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/apraawards/classicalawards.aspx |archivedate=28 September 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{awards table}} !{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 2018 || "String Quintet No. 2" (Gordon Kerry) for Australian String Quartet and Pieter Wispelwey || Work of the Year – Instrumental || {{nom}} || <ref name="Art Music Wins 2018">{{cite web | url = http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2018-awards/art-music-awards/full-list-of-winners/ | title = Art Music Awards Full List of Winners | publisher = Australian Music Centre (AMC) | access-date = 14 October 2018 | archive-date = 14 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181014130350/http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2018-awards/art-music-awards/full-list-of-winners/ | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name="PotYNom 2018">{{cite web | url = http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2018-awards/art-music-awards/performance-of-the-year/ | title = Performance of the Year | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) &#124; Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) &#124; Australian Music Centre (AMC) | year = 2018 | access-date = 15 October 2018 | archive-date = 15 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181015003508/http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/2018-awards/art-music-awards/performance-of-the-year/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> |- | 2021 || ''Clarinet Quartet'' (Kerry) for Omega Ensemble || Work of the Year: Chamber Music || {{nom}} || <ref name="Art Music Win 2021">{{cite web | url = https://www.apraamcos.com.au/about/supporting-the-industry/awards/art-music-awards-2021#_188904 | title = Winners & Finalists | publisher = APRA AMCOS {{!}} Australian Music Centre (AMC) | date = 9 September 2021 | access-date = 9 September 2021 }}</ref>

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==References==

{{reflist}}

==External sources==

* {{Official website|gordonkerry.com/}} * [http://www.australianmusiccentre.com.au/artist/kerry-gordon Australian Music Centre] * [http://musictrust.com.au/loudmouth/inside-the-musician-gordon-kerry-the-undiscovered-continent/ "Inside the Musician. Gordon Kerry: The undiscovered continent"] by Australian Music Trust

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kerry, Gordon}} Category:1961 births Category:Living people Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Australian arts administrators Category:Australian composers Category:Australian music critics Category:Musicians from Victoria (state) Category:University of Melbourne alumni