Stage Band Awards
Division 1 – Vanessa Perica
Vanessa Perica is a multi award-winning composer and conductor based in Melbourne. Her debut album Love is a Temporary Madness topped the AIR charts and earned accolades including Best Jazz Album at the Music Victoria Awards. She has collaborated with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, won multiple APRA Art Music Awards, and received international recognition from ISJAC and the Society of Composers Inc. Her 2023 album The Eye is the First Circle was an ARIA nominee, and her quartet work No Feeling is Final toured nationally in 2025.
Division 2 – Maria Schneider
Maria Schneider is a GRAMMY-winning American composer whose genre-defying work spans jazz, classical, and collaborations with David Bowie. Her pioneering album Concert in the Garden was the first GRAMMY winner sold exclusively online. She’s received 7 GRAMMYs, the NEA Jazz Master honor, and the Pulitzer-nominated Data Lords. A passionate advocate for artists’ rights, Schneider’s music blends innovation with activism, earning her induction into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Division 3 – Andrew Murray
Andrew Murray is a Melbourne-based composer and educator known for his big band ATM15 and funk ensemble The Randy Anderson. He studied in Austria with jazz legends and has won national and international composition awards. His acclaimed Trombone Song Cycle earned APRA and Jazz Bell Awards. Murray has directed major events, arranged for the Commonwealth Games, and collaborated with artists across genres. He’s also a dedicated classroom teacher and father of three.
Division 4 – Nick Mulder
Nick Mulder was a beloved educator, composer, and trombonist whose contributions to jazz education and Generations in Jazz were profound. Known for his integrity, humour, and generosity, Nick composed inspiring works for early big band levels and mentored countless young musicians. His legacy lives on through his music and the community he helped shape.
Vocal Ensemble Awards
Division 1 Large & Small – Michelle Nicolle & Mim Crellin
Michelle Nicolle is one of Australia’s leading jazz vocalists, celebrated for her improvisational brilliance and international touring. She’s a Bell Award winner, ARIA finalist, and recent Music Victoria Award recipient for The Bach Project.
Mim Crellin is a New York-based vocalist and composer blending jazz, folk, and experimental music. Formerly Director of Voice at Princes Hill, she now performs internationally and collaborates with Grammy-nominated artists.
Division 2 Large & Small – Dr. Erin McKellar
Dr. Erin McKellar is a London-based Australian composer and performer whose musicals A Box of Memories, Muriel Matters, and Wittenoom have earned national acclaim. A Downbeat Award winner and APRA finalist, Erin’s work spans theatre, commercial music, and research. She began her jazz journey at GIJ and returns as a celebrated composer.
Division 3 Large – Christina Guala-Goodwin
Christina Guala-Goodwin is an Adelaide-based saxophonist, vocalist, and composer. She’s performed nationally and internationally, released original works, and received the COMA Emerging Jazz Writers Award. As coordinator of JazzSA Superbands, Christina is a passionate educator shaping South Australia’s jazz future.
Division 3 Small – Christina Guala-Goodwin & David Goodwin
David Goodwin is a versatile Adelaide pianist, trumpeter, and composer. A James Morrison Scholarship winner and DownBeat Award recipient, he’s performed with leading artists and orchestras across Australia. His work spans performance, direction, and production, making him a respected figure in the national music scene.
Division 4 – Naomi Crellin
Naomi Crellin is a jazz vocalist, arranger, and educator best known for her work with The Idea of North. A graduate of Elder Conservatorium, she directs the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Choir and Nexus NDV. Naomi now balances her musical career with counselling, continuing to inspire through harmony and inclusion.