Press release from Grand and Lafayette
APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) and the AGSC (Australian Guild of Screen Composers) are proud to announce the recipient of the 2009 International Achievement Award.
Recognised as one of the most prestigious accolades for an Australian screen composer or composers, this award has previously recognised the likes of Gary McDonald and Laurie Stone, The Wiggles, Peter Best, Bruce Rowland, Lisa Gerrard, Bruce Smeaton and David Hirschfelder.
This year, internationally accomplished Sydney composer Guy Gross will receive this esteemed honour before his peers at the forthcoming Screen Music Awards to be held on Monday, November 2nd at the City Recital Hall in Sydney.
As one of Australia’s leading film and television composers, Guy Gross has scored music for many hundreds of hours of television including dramatic mini-series, children’s animation, documentaries, commercials and a number of Australian feature films.
His compositions have underscored the acting performances of Toni Collette, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Molly Ringwald, Kylie Minogue, Phil Collins and Guy Pearce; and his scores have been performed in concert by the Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland Symphony Orchestras.
Guy began scoring for the screen while studying classical composition at the Conservatorium High School in Sydney, Australia. In 1992 he scored his first feature film, Frauds directed by Stephan Elliott for whom Guy went on to score his next two features including the international hit The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 1994. His score on this iconic Australian film led to a BAFTA (British Academy Award) nomination.
His career continued to soar with projects rich and varied. In 2000 he began scoring the US hit sci-fi series, Farscape. This was a monumental project that kept him busy for over three years, culminating in a big budget television mini series Farscape – Peacekeeper Wars. For this score he enlisted the services of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and personally conducted the 40 strong orchestra and choir to create one of his largest film scores to-date.
With a CV of projects too numerous to mention GUY GROSS has scored for screen projects such as Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger, McLeod’s Daughters, Blinky Bill, The Howard Years, The Joanne Lees Story – Murder in the Outback, East West 101 and Who Killed Dr Bogle and Mrs Chandler.
Each of his screen compositions covers a huge variety of styles. A testament to this diversity, Guy has received numerous peer awards from APRA and the AGSC including awards for; Best Music for a Documentary, Children’s Series, Short film, Animation, Promotional Video, Advertisement, TV Theme and twice for Best Music for a TV Series.
On receiving the International Achievement Award, Guy Gross said, "Of course I’m honoured to receive this award. But in many ways this award should be shared with the various producers who have had international success with the films I have scored. I’d love to take credit for their success but my music was only part of that equation".
GUY GROSS will receive his award at the SCREEN MUSIC AWARDS, the annual black tie celebration where Australian screen composers gather to network, reminisce and kick up their heels.