Biography

A leading composer of her generation, Sally Greenaway’s music delights audiences and musicians alike through its expression of our most intimate to grandiose experiences of our world, often with a strong focus on nature and our humanity.

Sally Greenaway (b.1984) is a multi-award winning composer hailing from Canberra, Australia. She has earned herself the reputation of being a versatile and diverse musician, having worked as conductor/musical director, jazz and classical pianist, music lecturer/teacher and composer/arranger.

Greenaway’s music spans a wide assortment of styles and genres — from solo instrumental, chamber and orchestral works, to jazz big band works, as well as film, advertising and documentary soundtracks.

Her music has been performed by leading Australian and overseas ensembles, including the Melbourne and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, Brno Philharmonic, Budapest Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony and Royal Scottish National orchestras; the US Navy Big Band, Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra and Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra; chamber music ensembles Muses Trio, PLEXUS and Syzygy; and by numerous community groups and school music ensembles internationally.

Accolades include an APRA AMCOS / Australian Music Centre Art Music Award (2017), two Canberra Critics Circle Awards (2015, 2017), the Merlyn Myer Composing Women’s Award (2015) and the Canberra International Music Festival’s Young Composer Award (2009).

Greenaway has lectured at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Canberra Institute of Technology Music Industry Centre, and given guest lectures at Monash University, the Australian National University and the Royal College of Music in London.

She is regularly invited to give masterclasses and workshops and adjudicate competitions, including the Young Virtuoso Awards for the Fine Music Network. She was Musical Director for ConneXion Big Band for 10 years and is often invited as guest Musical Director for a range of ensembles including choirs, big bands and concert bands.

Greenaway is a post-graduate from the Royal College of Music, London, UK, where she received the Lucy Anne Jones award, studying composition and orchestration. She is also a graduate of the ANU School of Music Jazz Department specializing in jazz piano.

As a pianist Greenaway has toured and performed around Australia performing at festivals and special concerts. During her time living in London she played jazz piano at the London Chopin Festival on Steinway's unique 'Ferrari' grand piano, and at the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair on Liberace's rhinestone grand piano.

In her spare time, she dabbles in historic keyboard instruments including the harpsichord and clavichord.

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Press Images

Landscape orientation press image

Body Artwork: Anne Hind
Photo Credit: Ivor Hind

Portrait orientation press image

Body Artwork: Anne Hind
Photo Credit: Ivor Hind

Composition awards & industry recognition

  • 2018 - Life Canberra 'Women of Spirit Awards' - Finalist
  • 2017 - APRA Art Music State Award: Instrumental Work of the Year - Winner
  • 2017 - CAPO 'Canberra Weekly' Arts Award - Recipient
  • 2017 - Canberra Critics Circle Award (7 Great Inventions of the Modern Industrial Age) - Recipient
  • 2017 - Short Stop International Film Festival, UK - Nomination: Best Film Score (Car Park) - Finalist
  • 2015 - Canberra Critics Circle Award (Aubade & Nocturne CD) - Recipient
  • 2013 - Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra Composition Contest, USA - Finalist
  • 2010 - Royal College of Music, UK, Lucy Ann Jones Award - Recipient
  • 2009 - Canberra International Music Festival Young Composer Award - Winner
  • 2008 - APRA JazzGroove Mothership Orchestra National Big Band Composition Competition - Winner

Commissioned Works

Selected Composing Commission Highlights

  • 2023 Bowral Autumn Music Festival 2023 - Of Moths and Moonlight
  • 2023 Stephanie Jones - (forthcoming work for solo guitar)
  • 2023 Muses Trio - Petit Bateaux Dansants
  • 2023 Veronica & Michael Bailey - Serenade
  • 2022 Orange Regional Conservatorium - The Memories of Poplar Trees
  • 2022 Steve Allen & Wykes Family - Reflections in Watercolour
  • 2022 Dee & Gregg Mcfaul - A Chime of Wrens
  • 2021 Canberra Symphony Orchestra - The Sky is Also Yours
  • 2021 Ed & Charlie Le Brocq - Balkan-Batik!
  • 2021 Lucy Carrigy-Ryan - The Murray and the Mountain
  • 2021 Andrew Feitz - Pastorale & Caprice
  • 2020 Mary & Michael Tatchell - Le Parc Monceau
  • 2020 Karen North - Danza del Anhelo
  • 2020 Sarah-Louise Owens - Cocooned in Breath
  • 2019 Andrew Rumsey - Expanse in a Moment
  • 2019 Oriana Chorale, Sarah Rice - If I Could (Have Given You A Note)
  • 2017 Musica Viva - Da Vinci's Apprentice
  • 2017 Riley Lee & Steve Allen - Nature's Mirages
  • 2016 Myer Foundation & Melbourne Recital Centre - 7 Great Inventions of the Modern Industrial Age
  • 2016 Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - Worlds Within Worlds
  • 2016 Bangalow Music Festival - Don't Forget Your Music
  • 2015 Steph Burton - Strawberry Thief (3 pieces)
  • 2015 Plexus Trio - Quietude
  • 2015 The Resonants - Resonance
  • 2014 Canberra Symphony Orchestra - A Touch of Christmas
  • 2014 Thea Zimple - Summer Beckons
  • 2014 Australian Youth Orchestra - Elk Branches
  • 2013 Canberra Grammar School - Auróra Musis Amíca
  • 2013 Melbourne Composers Big Band - God Rest Ye Groovy Gentlemen
  • 2013 John Couch - Sin Luz; De La Luz
  • 2013 Patrick Baker - Look to This Day
  • 2012 Restrung New Music Festival - Flywheel

Selected Film & Advertising Original Music Score Commissions

  • 2017 Australian Government, information campaigns (x3): Don't Be A Jeff
  • 2016 John Frohlich, short film: Car Park
  • 2015 St Vincent de Paul, awareness campaign: CEO Sleepout
  • 2014 ScreenACT, feature film: Locks of Love
  • 2013 John Frohlich, short film: Perhaps Tomorrow
  • 2013 James Hunter, short film: The Invisible Thread

List of artists who have performed Greenaway's works

Greenaway's compositions have been performed by a wonderfully diverse range of musicians, from internationally acclaimed artists, to local community and school groups:

Note: this is not an exhaustive list - Please register your performance if you've performed Greenaway's music.

Orchestras & bands

  • Brno Philharmonic Orchestra (Cze)
  • Orchestre de Cuivres d'Amiens (Fra)
  • Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (AUS)
  • Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra (GBR)
  • Canberra Symphony Orchestra (AUS)
  • National Capital Orchestra (AUS)
  • Weston Winds (AUS)
  • Snowy Mountains Ensemble (AUS)
  • Glenorchy Brass Band (AUS)
  • Hall Village Brass Band (AUS)
  • Canberra City Band (AUS)
  • BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (members of) (GBR)
  • Hallé Orchestra (members of) (GBR)
  • Royal Scottish National Orchestra (members of) (GBR)

Choirs & vocal ensembles

  • Rajaton (FIN)
  • Kammarkören Musikaliska (SWE)
  • Luminescence Chamber Singers (AUS)
  • The Resonants (AUS)
  • Canberra Choral Society (AUS)
  • Oriana Chorale (AUS)
  • Woden Valley Youth Choir (AUS)
  • Austrian Choir Canberra (AUS)

Soloists

  • Kirsty McCahon, Double Bass
  • Timothy Constable, Percussion
  • Sally Whitwell, Piano
  • John Couch, Guitar
  • Steve Allen, Guitar
  • Riley Lee, Shakuhachi
  • Gillian Pereira, Cello
  • Sally Walker, Flute
  • Barbara Jane Gilby, Violin
  • David Shaw, Flute
  • Monica Curro, Violin
  • Stefan Cassomenos, Piano
  • Sally Maer, Cello

Jazz ensembles & big bands

  • Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra (USA)
  • US Navy Band (USA)
  • RMC Big Band (AUS)
  • Renato Strukelj Big Band (ITA)
  • Dave Pearson Big Band (GBR)
  • JazzGroove Mothership Orchestra (AUS)
  • ConneXion Big Band (AUS)
  • Spectrum Big Band (AUS)
  • Melbourne Composers Big Band (AUS)
  • Synergia Jazz Orchestra (AUS)
  • Blamey Street Big Band (AUS)
  • Canberra Jazz Orchestra (AUS)
  • Brass Knuckle Brass Band (AUS)

Chamber ensembles

  • Plexus (AUS)
  • Muses Trio (AUS)
  • Syzygy Ensemble (AUS)
  • Trichotomy (AUS)
  • Wicked-Strings! (AUS)
  • Omega Ensemble (members of) (AUS)

Universities & schools

  • Saratov Region State Music College (RUS)
  • Atholton Wind Ensemble (USA)
  • Wautoma High School Jazz Ensemble (USA)
  • Newcastle Grammar School Bands (AUS)
  • Canberra Grammar School Ensembles (AUS)
  • Bellingen High School Music Dept. (AUS)
  • Telopea Park Band & Orchestra (AUS)