We are delighted to announce the appointment of jazz saxophonist, composer, educator, Gemma Farrell as Artistic Director. Gemma holds a Master of Music degree from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, a Bachelor of Music with Honours from the Queensland Conservatorium and is currently a PhD candidate and lecturer in jazz studies at WAAPA. Gemma was a member of the WAYJO Band from 2003 to 2007 and has been a staff member for more than a decade, leading the WAYJO Pathways Program, Progressions, (formerly known as Young Women in Jazz) since 2014.
Progressions is an initiative encouraging young people of marginalised genders, female, non-binary and transgender who are underrepresented on jazz stages build support networks, refine their skills, and increase confidence. The program was nominated for the APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for Excellence in Music Education in both 2023 and 2024. Her contributions to the field were recognised when she received the APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for WA State Luminary in 2024 and the Australian Women in Music Award for Humanitarian 2024.
In July 2022, Gemma was featured as a guest artist with our Monday Night Orchestra, where she highlighted the versatility of the saxophone family, the EWI, and her original compositions. In 2024, she conducted the Wednesday Night Orchestra at the State Theatre Centre, collaborating with Grammy-winning bassist Linda May Han Oh.
WAYJO Chair Simon Durack said, “On behalf of my fellow Board members, we are delighted to welcome Gemma Farrell to the position of Artistic Director for WAYJO and look forward to her ongoing input into the future artistic direction of WAYJO.”
Gemma said, “I’m extremely honoured to have been appointed as the next Artistic Director of WAYJO. I never imagined that as a young musician in WAYJO that I would be the AD one day. I look forward to working with the dedicated WAYJO staff and Board towards a more diverse Perth Jazz scene and I’m especially excited to work with such incredible up and coming talent in our WAYJO musicians”.