The Mozart Fellowship was established in 1969 to aid and encourage composers of music in the practice and advancement of their art, to associate them with the life of the University and to foster an interest in contemporary music within the University and in the community. The work of the Mozart Fellow may be performed in concert during their Fellowship year.
The annual, 12-month Fellowship provides a studio/office space and not less than the minimum salary of a fulltime university lecturer. It is open to composers who are normally resident in New Zealand who, in the opinion of the Selection Committee, have demonstrated their ability and talent, and the intention of pursuing a career in music, and would benefit from holding the Fellowship.
See the list of all previous Mozart Fellowship recipients
Mozart Fellow 2023: Sean Donnelly
Sean Donnelly
Award-winning song writer, contemporary composer and studio producer, Sean Donnelly, has been appointed for a second term.
“Being the Mozart Fellow has been a very great privilege and I’m absolutely chuffed to be appointed again – it puts me in such a strong position to go out on a limb with some new and weird musical directions,” he says.
Under the nom-de-plume SJD he has released eight albums, frequently performs live, and has composed soundtracks for many of New Zealand’s leading film and television productions, across both traditional and experimental acoustic genres.
He will spend the year completing a new album, working in the electroacoustic medium, and further developing his already widely acknowledged profile as a songwriter.
“The year ahead looks incredibly exciting – firstly I’ll be finishing everything I didn’t complete in 2022, secondly I’ll be looking for some serious collabs for recording and live performances.”
