The 34th National Jazz Award - Saxophone
The 34th National Jazz Award Final will see 6 of the Best Australian Saxophonists under the age of 36 battle it out for the prestigious National Jazz Awards.
Meet the finalists
Ben Lerner
Ben performs frequently as a freelancing musician around Sydney, and is an in demand sideman. He graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music at the end of 2023 and is set to commence studying a Masters Degree at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music on a scholarship in September 2025.
Tessie Overmyer
Tessie Overmyer has established herself as one of the most exciting, dynamic saxophone players in the Australian jazz scene, rapidly gaining her recognition for a maturity that appears well beyond her years.
Originally from Newcastle, NSW, Tessie completed her bachelor of music at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and has recently relocated to New York City to study a master of music at the Manhattan School of Music.
Stephen Byth
Stephen Byth is a saxophonist and composer born in Melbourne, Victoria. After becoming an active member of the Melbourne jazz and improvised music community, Stephen relocated to the USA to further pursue his career in music and is currently working on recording his second full-length album in New York City.
Michael Avgenicos
Hailing from Eora (Sydney), Michael has been playing saxophone since he was 8 years old. Across a wide range of contexts, his instrument serves as an extension of his inner self, producing a deep, emotive and natural style.
Alongside his brother Tom, Michael's love of music was nurtured by local jazz legends Warwick Alder and Judy Bailey. Graduating Sydney Con in 2015, Michael has since performed throughout Australia and abroad, honing his craft under the tutelage of Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Will Vinson, and more.
Michael's current projects include Hamed Sadeghi's ARIA nominated groups Eishan Ensemble and Empty Voices, Matt Thomson/Alex Hirlian's Tourismo, Paul Derricott's COAST, Avgenicos Brothers' Reduction, and his new jazz quartet, Eudaemons.
Oscar Bruten
Oscar Bruten is a Melbourne based saxophonist and composer. As a recipient of both the ABC Composer Commissioning fund and the 2023 James Morrison Scholarship, Bruten is showing himself as an exciting emerging musical voice in Australia.
Jayden Blockley
Originally from Perth, Jayden completed his undergraduate studies at the renowned James Morrison Academy in Mount Gambier. Jayden completed his undergraduate studies under the tutelage of world-renowned saxophonist Jamie Oehlers at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. His much-anticipated album was released on the ABC Jazz label in March 2020. Jayden’s original composition ‘Song for a Better Day’ received a WAM nomination for song of the year.
BACKING BAND
Mark Fitzgibbon (Award winner 1991, Piano) Ben Robertson (Bass) and Danny Fischer (Drums).
JUDGES
Angela Davis, John Mackey and Julien Wilson (Award winner 1994)
PRIZES
1st Place $7500 + a recording session at Pughouse studios
2nd place $5000 + a recording session at Free Energy Device Studios
3rd place $2500
PREVIOUS SAXOPHONISTS WHO HAVE WON THE AWARD
Tim Hopkins (1993), Julien Wilson (1994), Elliott Dalgleish (1995), Roger Manins (2002), Zac Hurren(2009) & Mike Rivett (2016).
