Bunbury’s Stephen de Filippo has turned an interest in music into a fully-fledged career.
Mr dr Filippo was recently awarded the University of Western Australia’s Dr. Harold Schenberg Music Prize for Composition.
The achievement will see Mr de Filippo undertake a Master’s Degree in experimental music composition at the University of California.
The prize awarded Mr de Filippo with $30,000 and the opportunity to further continue his studies.
Later this month, he will showcase his talents through an artist-in-residency program in Gothenburg, Sweden.
During his time in Europe, he will work alongside Swedish classical ensemble Norrbotten NEO and will be supported by the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
In 2017, the composer graduated from UWA and was awarded the Sir Harold Bailey Award for work within the Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences, and Education.
During his studies at UWA, Mr de Filippo broke new ground while collaborating with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and the Australian Youth Orchestra.
Mr de Filippo said he was honoured to have received the prestigious award.
“I have always done some form of music throughout life – playing piano as a child, doing music as a teenager etc. – but I wasn’t truly invested in it until I left high school and started exploring the different ways I could assert myself musically,” he said.
"I had the expectation that I wasn’t going to go any further with music than what I had done in high school, which wasn’t very much.
“Finding a niche that worked for me, and getting support which will help me to go overseas, has been fantastic.”
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