Sydney’s Omega Ensemble has announced the participants for its 2022 CoLAB: Composer Accelerator Program. They are Mark Holdsworth, Julia Potter, Christopher Healey, Sophie Van Dijk and John Rotar.

The composers will work with Omega Ensemble throughout the year, receiving guidance and mentorship from Australian and international composers including Carl Vine, Gordon Kerry, Nico Muhly, Missy Mazzoli, Holly Harrison and Christopher Cerrone to each develop a new work, which the ensemble will premiere at the Sydney Opera House in November.

The first edition of the program involved composers Angus Davison, Chloe Sinclair, Alex Turley, William Gardiner and Lauren McCormick.

David Rowden, Omega Ensemble’s Artistic Director, says the ensemble was overwhelmed with applications to the program in its second year, with applicants representing every state in Australia and a diverse range of creative backgrounds.

Composer Nico Muhly and Artistic Director of Omega Ensemble, David Rowden. Photo © Keith Saunders

“The CoLAB program was launched in 2021 to support talented young composers in pursuing their professional careers,” says Rowden. “The works produced by the inaugural participants, and the outcomes achieved, were significant. Following that success, we have been overwhelmed with applications...