Lucy Clifford wins jazz award

The recipient of the Jann Rutherford Memorial Award (JRMA) for 2022 is WollCon alumnus and bassist Lucy Clifford, who says that playing as a young student in a jazz ensemble and small jazz combos at WollCon, were instrumental in developing her performance skills.

The Award founded in 2005, aims to redress the gender imbalance in jazz by supporting awardees with financial, performance and recording assistance.

It is named in honour of the late New Zealand born jazz pianist Jann Rutherford and is funded by private donations in partnership with Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival (MWIJF) Sydney Improvised Music Association (SIMA), Jazz Queensland and ABC Radio National.

“Receiving this award is such an incredible honor and I am so grateful for this support. This opportunity really has allowed me to bring to life a career goal of mine, to build an ensemble as a female musician and composer, and hopefully inspire others to do the same.”

Lucy Clifford

For Lucy the award means she will be able to develop and perform music for her debut album, which centres around exchanges of stories on strength, empowerment, dedication to growth and love in all its forms.

As a bassist who has dedicated many years to accompanying artists of different kinds, Lucy’s album places value and care in similarly fostering spaces for dialogue. Although rooted in Jazz expression, Lucy and her collaborators Tom Avgenicos (trumpet), David Reglar (tenor saxophone), Freyja Garbett (keys), and Alex Masso (drums) explore beyond the fringes of genre, building synergetic rhythms and pulses that interlock with all things melody, motion and stillness in between.

Her debut single ‘When I Miss You’ was released on October 28th and available on all streaming platforms.

“This piece was written when the world turned itself upside down and many of us experienced missing someone we love.”

Opportunities to hear Lucy perform songs from her debut album included a WollCon Jazz Series concert at the UNIBar, a performance at the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival and another for the Sydney Improvised Music Association.

The award also involves an ABC Jazz Scholarship recording (for release in 2023) and the development of a professional promotional kit.

Lucy joins fellow WollCon alumnus and jazz drummer Jodie Michael, who won the same award in 2013.

“WollCon is one of those creative hubs that really is essential for our community. So much creativity, inspiration, musical exploration, and encouragement transpires in each practice room there, and you really can see the impact the con has on the broader Sydney and South Coast music communities with the number of professional performers that started out there. The jazz program run by Eric Dunan gave me that opportunity to feel inspired, play music with others and learn fundamentals that have shaped the musician I am today.” Said Lucy.

Passionate about encouraging and supporting young women in music, Lucy also recently completed her master’s in teaching and founded the Sisters of Sound program, an e-learning platform which provides educational workshops and classes for young women in music.

READ Lucy’s Alumni Profile

Sue is an accomplished and seasoned manager with a wealth of experience in government administration and community service delivery. With a strong background in strategic planning, organisational development, community engagement, project planning, and building strategic partnerships, Sue has consistently demonstrated her leadership and expertise and brings a wealth of knowledge to the board. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business focusing on Local Government and Creative Industries from the University of Wollongong, reflecting her commitment to public service and innovative leadership. Sue’s extensive career and dedication to community and social service make her a valuable asset, offering both strategic insight and practical experience to drive meaningful impact.

Anne has been a member of the Wollcon Board since 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from UNSW. She is an Accredited Specialist in Family Law and an accredited Mediator and Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. She has taught family law and other subjects at Wollongong University.

For a number of years she has been a subscriber to the Australian Chamber Orchestra which regularly performs in Wollongong . She has been passionate about music and in particular music education to children and adults.

Jake has worked in the disability sector for 24 years- 17 of these with Interchange and 7 years as their CEO. Jake is passionate about inclusion and equality for both people with disability and their carers.

He holds an MBA, Bachelor of Commerce, Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, as well as completing Diploma’s in Case Management, Community Services Coordination and the AICD Company Directors Course.

Jake is also a committee member on the International Short Breaks Association Board and has been a Director on the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music Board since 2022.

Wayne is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as being a qualified company secretary and accountant with over 35 years experience in banking and finance. He performed for nine of those years as Chief Executive of IMB Ltd, and the preceding seven years as Company Secretary and Chief Financial Officer, also with IMB. Wayne’s primary expertise is in the areas of governance, management, accounting, risk management and banking and finance. He has spent his whole life living in the Illawarra and is passionate about ensuring the Illawarra can provide the best possible opportunities and lifestyle for its residents. In 2024 Wayne was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to the community.

Dr Terumi Narushima is a senior lecturer and Music Discipline Leader at the University of Wollongong. She is a composer, performer and sound designer specialising in microtonal tuning systems. Her works include Tritriadic Chimes, a sound installation for LA MicroFest, Hidden Sidetracks, a composition for custom-made instruments premiered by Ensemble Offspring at Sydney Opera House, and a project to build microtonal flutes using 3D printing. She has worked on theatre collaborations which have been presented nationally and internationally, including Yasukichi Murakami: Through a Distant Lens, Lost in Shanghai, and The Story of Chi. She performs with microtonal ensemble Clocks and Clouds, and her book Microtonality and the Tuning Systems of Erv Wilson is published by Routledge.

Nicky is the CEO of Community Industry Group. She has degrees in Dementia Care, Community & Environment and Marketing, and a Grad Dip in Project Management. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Honorary Fellow of UOW. In addition to Chairing the WollCon Board, she is Deputy Chair of the Regional Development Australia Illawarra Shoalhaven Board and an Independent Non-Executive Director of Warrigal, a large not-for-profit specialising in the provision of services for older people.

Her corporate governance and strategy experience extends through a 20+ year career on boards in the corporate, government and NFP sectors.