Local artists Momoko Rose and Nathan Seeckts awarded the Queenscliff Music Festival 2019 Emerging Artist Grant
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Local artists Momoko Rose and Nathan Seeckts awarded the Queenscliff Music Festival 2019 Emerging Artist Grant

Queenscliff Music Festival has today announced the recipients of the 2019 Emerging Artist Grant (EAG) and the Alison McKenzie Mentor Program.

Fostering forerunners in the Bellarine music scene, the EAG initiative assists in the development and completion of projects by local musicians for up to $10,000 per year, with approximately $4,000 stemming from the contributions of Friends of the Festival. The Emerging Artist Grant and Alison McKenzie Mentor Program ensure musicians have the support necessary to follow through with their ambitions, an imperative of the Queenscliff Music Festival.

Big congratulations to local artists Momoko Rose and Nathan Seeckts, who thanks to QMF, have been awarded $5,000 each to assist with their forthcoming recording, live show and video projects this year alongside a live slot on this year’s stages.

Momoko Rose’s music illustrates a profound sensitivity to the natural world and our emotional connection with it as people, a quality she manifests in her own music. Her songs are riddled with dissonance, jazz harmony and unorthodox time signatures. Momoko’s mellifluous and otherworldly soundscapes distinguish her as the epitome of an unbridled introvert. Queenscliff Music Festival will be supporting ‘Humans Weep’, an audio-visual project with a music video, live video, and photography to capture Momoko’s raw aesthetic command.

Nathan Seeckts release ‘Sirens’ addresses domestic violence within Australian homes, with all proceeds from the sale being donated to a local not-for-profit Australian children’s charity. The EAG will support Nathan in creating a music video to accompany ‘Sirens’. The video draws influence from Felicity Urquhart, who during an interview with Nathan on ABC’s Saturday Night Country reflected “You asked whether you were the right voice for this. I think having any of us talk about this subject is the right voice.”

That’s not all though.

In memory of valued QMF board member Alison the Alison McKenzie Mentor Program recipient for 2019 is Cooper Lower, a local guitarist and singer/songwriter from Victoria’s South West Coast. Cooper’s musical intuitions have carried him to audiences at the Melbourne International Guitar Night, Fretmonkey Guitarist Showcase (USA) and Tollwood Sommerfest (Germany), and his 2018 EP Mysteries of Midnight was loved by our team here at Forte. Cooper Lower will be mentored by Ash Grunwald.

Queenscliff is rocketing towards an early sell-out with over 95% of tickets sold. Acts such as multi-award winning singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, Tim Finn, and British percussive guitar master Newton Faulkner are all a part of the stellar selection of musical acts performing at this year’s festival. Best of all children aged 13 and under get in for free! Bring friends, family, and join in the groove.

The 23rd Queenscliff Music Festival will run from 22nd – 24th November 2019.