The bassoonist spoke to Limelight about his world tour project following his Fellowship win.

Australian bassonist Matthew Kneale has been announced as the winner of the 2017 Freedman Classical Fellowship. The $20,000 cash prize will allow him to undertake his proposed career-enhancing project: “an international concert tour that will shatter preconceived notions by presenting the bassoon as a brilliant solo and chamber entity in its own right.” Kneale’s proposed tour will include works by Australian composers Holly Harrison and Katy Abbott.

Kneale was one of three finalists who performed in a concert on Saturday night at the ABC’s Eugene Goossens Hall (the other finalists were flautist Tamara Kohler and pianist Alex Raineri) which also featured a performance by percussionist – and 2005 Freedman Classical Fellow – Claire Edwardes. The concert was hosted by another former winner, pianist Tamara-Anna Cislowska, and broadcast live on ABC Classic FM. The judges for the finals were Dr Stephen Mould, Senior Lecturer in Conducting and Opera Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Elaine Chia, CEO of Sydney’s City Recital Hall and Kirsten Williams, Associate Concertmaster of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.