Holly Moore: From Saxophone Student to Commissioned Composer, Teacher and Improviser—a Journey into the Australian Jazz Scene

This week’s special guest is composer, improviser and saxophonist Holly Moore.We discuss her journey with music, from her early exposure to music education, their path from high-school to tertiary music student and now professional musician. We discuss lots of music, labels, jazz and improvised music, and what she thinks of the future of the Australian Jazz scene.Holly Moore, a Melbourne-based saxophonist, composer and educator, is making waves in the Australian jazz scene. Holly's recent debut release, ‘REUNION,’ was launched in November 2023 through the ABC Jazz Composer Commission and showcases her talent and vision in contemporary jazz.Holly performed with the Australian Art Orchestra at the 2023 Melbourne International Jazz Festival, where she premiered new work for ‘Raw Denshi’. Her career has been marked by significant achievements, including being the recipient of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival’s Take Note program in 2020. This honour led her to compose a new suite of music and perform it with a jazz sextet during the festival's digital event, ‘These Digital Times’.Her performance credits include appearances at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, the Melbourne Women's International Jazz Festival, NGV’s Summer Series at M-Pavilion, and Melbourne Music Week, along with regular gigs around town. Committed to music education, Holly developed a series of online jazz workshops for Victorian high schools during Melbourne’s second lockdown in 2020.And an honourable special mention to the unknown saxophone busker that inspired Holly to pick up the saxophone in the first place (legend says it was the great Julian Wilson)!The conversation is now available on all streaming platforms, YouTube and our website.https://www.aredrummersmusicians.com/hollymoore