It was a wonderful night of celebration at the City Recital Hall, especially for the key composers of writer/director Robert Connolly’s film Balibo. In an emotional win, East Timorese-born composer Ego Lemos received the award for Best Original Song Composed for the Screen for the title-track “Balibo”. And world-renowned composer Lisa Gerrard has received the coveted Best Feature Film Score award for her musical contribution to Balibo.

Multiple Screen Music Award winner Cezary Skubiszewski has won the award in the category Best Soundtrack Album, for his work on the Gillian Armstrong feature film Death Defying Acts.

Amanda Brown, composer and former member of the much-loved Australian band The Go-Betweens, has taken out the award in the category of Best Music for a Documentary for the ABC Television feature Sidney Nolan: Mask and Memory. This is Amanda’s first Screen Music Award.

The winner in the category of Best Music for a Television Series or Serial is another first-time Screen Music Award recipient. Alastair Ford has received the award for his compositions for McLeod’s Daughters - Episode 224 - The Long Paddock.

First time winners Cameron Giles-Webb and Colin Simkins have taken out the Screen Music Award in the category of Best Television Theme Showtime Australia’s Satisfaction, a series that delves into the secret world of sex workers.

The award for Best Music for a Short Film has gone to first-time winner, composer Brett Aplin for Lucy Wants to Kill Herself, a short film that has been described as “a flabbergastingly amazing animated surreal black comedy about a melodramatic suicidal writer and her pet cat Mishima”.

Acclaimed screen composer Roger Mason has received the Screen Music Award for Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie for The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce, the ABC telemovie that follows the final days of Irish convict Alexander Pearce as he awaits execution.

Multiple Screen Music Award winner Bruce Heald has again proven himself to be a virtuoso in the field of composing for advertisements taking out the category of Best Music For an Advertisement for the composition “Whale Song” for Optus. This is his third Screen Music Award in this category.

Composer/writer/director Sean Peter has won the Screen Music Award (his first) in the category of Best Music for Children’s Television for The Adventures of Charlotte and Henry, a children’s movie based on the books by Australian author Bob Graham, which tells the story of two very different ten year olds and the trials and tribulations of their friendship.

Composer Jay Stewart was named the Most Performed Composer – Australia for the fourth year in a row. And for the second year in a row Neil Sutherland was given the award for Most Performed Composer - Overseas.

The prestigious International Achievement Award was presented to Sydney composer Guy Gross for his stellar achievements in screen composition abroad.

The 2009 SCREEN MUSIC AWARDS (presented by APRA and the AGSC) were held on Monday November 2nd at City Recital Hall in Sydney. This unique event is the only one of its kind to recognize and celebrate the efforts of the often-anonymous Australian screen composers.

Special guest presenters on the evening were Bruce Beresford, Robert Connolly, Jonathan Biggins, Steve Knapman, Julia Zemiro, Peter Garrett, and Susie Porter.

The awards were hosted by The Chaser’s Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen and featured nominated compositions performed by a live ensemble conducted by Paul Grabowsky.

Screen Music Award nominee Ego Lemos performed the winning composition “Balibo” from the Australian feature film of the same title. And a live ensemble accompanied the ethereal Lisa Gerrard in a performance of an extract titled “The Invasion” from her musical score for Balibo.

APRA and the AGSC wish to heartily congratulate all the winners and thank all entrants to the 2009 Screen Music Award.

The 2009 Screen Music Awards are supported by Screen Australia and ABC Television.

Full List of Winners

The 2009 Screen Music Award winners were:

International Achievement Award
Guy Gross

Most Performed Screen Composer - Australia
Jay Stewart

Most Performed Screen Composer - Overseas
Neil Sutherland

Best Feature Film Score
Title    Balibo
Composer    Lisa Gerrard
Publisher    Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia P/L

Best Music for a Documentary
Title    Sidney Nolan: Mask and Memory
Composer    Amanda Brown
Publisher    Sandcastle Music Pty Ltd

Best Music for a Short Film
Title    Lucy Wants to Kill Herself
Composer    Brett Aplin

Best Music for a Television Series or Serial
Title    McLeod’s Daughters
Composer    Alastair Ford
Publisher    Nine Films & Television Pty Ltd

Best Music for an Advertisement
Title    Optus “Whale Song”
Composer    Bruce Heald
Publisher    Noise International Pty Ltd

Best Soundtrack Album
Title    Death Defying Acts
Composer    Cezary Skubiszewski
Publisher    Albert Music

Best Music for a Mini-Series or Telemovie
Title    The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce
Composer    Roger Mason
Publisher    Sandcastle Music Pty Ltd

Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
Title    Balibo
Composer    Ego Lemos
Publishers    SFM Publishing administered by Sony/ATV Music Publishing Australia P/L