Her Australian Songbook 

Muses Trio is proud to announce Her Australian Songbook—a new national opportunity supporting female composers interested in the intersection of contemporary, classical, and Australian songwriting traditions.

Meet the emerging composers of Her Australian Songbook

We’re so excited to introduce the five emerging composers selected for Her Australian Songbook!
After receiving a staggering number of applications from composers across Australia, we’re thrilled to be working with Olivia Diamont, Rachel Hocking, Chiara Minotto, Alexandra Moutevelidis, and Sarah Elise Thompson.

These five composers each bring something completely different to the project, and we’re so excited to see where they take these songs.

Chiara Minotto
Selected song: Little Things — Jessica Mauboy
Sydney award-winning composer and jazz saxophonist Chiara Minotto works across jazz, chamber and media composition. Her music explores restraint and subtlety, using texture and timbre to create organic musical landscapes. Chiara is also the founder of the New Dynamic Orchestra, a large ensemble championing innovative composition and the work of female composers. She’s passionate about developing her own compositional voice while contributing to a more inclusive future for jazz.

For Her Australian Songbook, Chiara will reimagine Jessica Mauboy’s Little Things.

Rachel Hocking
Selected song: Brave — Kate Ceberano
Brisbane composer, pianist, organist and PhD holder Rachel Hocking brings together classical, jazz and sacred traditions in richly coloured music inspired by place and memory. Following an established career in music education and performance, Rachel has focused on composition over the past two years, with her work receiving recognition through awards including the Australian National Choral Association Composition Prize and a Queensland Music Awards finalist nomination.

For Her Australian Songbook, Rachel will take on Kate Cebrano’s Brave.

Sarah Elise Thompson
Selected song: Can’t Get You Out of My Head — Kylie Minogue
Australian composer and pianist Sarah Elise Thompson creates delicate, flowing harmonies and dreamlike textures that invite listeners into contemplative and hypnotic sound worlds. Her music has been commissioned and performed by ensembles including Ensemble Offspring, The Song Company and the Australian Youth Orchestra, with performances at the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Recital Centre and Carnegie Hall. Her work has also been heard internationally across the US, UK and Europe.

For Her Australian Songbook, Sarah will arrange Kylie Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out of My Head.

Olivia Diamont
Selected song: Hopelessly Devoted — Olivia Newton-John
Sydney composer, songwriter and trumpet extraordinaire Olivia Diamont is passionate about making music across genres. Currently studying composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Olivia’s work spans contemporary composition, jazz, songwriting and screen music. Her compositions have been performed by ensembles including the Goldner String Quartet and Spectra Jazz Orchestra, and she’s also a member of Spectra Jazz Orchestra and songwriter for her band, Patchwork.

For Her Australian Songbook, Olivia will take on Olivia Newton-John’s Hopelessly Devoted.

Alexandra Moutevelidis
Selected song: The Last Day on Earth — Kate Miller-Heidke
Sydney composer and Aus-music championing music journalist Alexandra Moutevelidis works across chamber, orchestral, theatre and screen composition, combining classical composition with singer-songwriter techniques. Alongside composing, Alexandra co-founded and hosts the video game music radio show Patch Notes and has worked with organisations including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Queensland Symphony Orchestra to champion and platform Australian composers.

Alexandra will reimagine Kate Miller-Heidke’s The Last Day on Earth.