The Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) has announced the two recipients of the 2026–27 Ian Potter Emerging Performers Fellowship.

Violist Matt Laing and violinist Simone Slattery have each been awarded $50,000 per year for two years to assist in the development of their artistic practice, alongside mentorship from established music professionals.

Matt Laing (Photo © Sharon Gertner ) and Simone Slattery (Photo © Annabel Hendrie)

Laing is a violist and composer who has been commissioned by groups including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, the Australian String Quartet and Musica Viva Australia.

He was awarded the 2024 Continuo Commission and a 2021 Prelude Residency with the Peggy Glanville-Hicks House Trust. He performs with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and with Orchestra Victoria as Acting Associate Principal Viola.

With the support of the Fellowship, Laing will publish his compositional portfolio and recordings of his works, as well as boost his Australian and international profile.

Slattery is a violinist, composer and co-founder of the Bowerbird Collective, an organisation that investigates the intersection between art and science. She performs with groups including the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, the Adelaide...