Ellen Kirkwood

"Ellen Kirkwood's music has that rare quality that characterises the music of the best composers: A truly unique, original voice that leaves you dying to hear the next piece."

- Dr Sandy Evans, OAM

“[A]part is a major accomplishment for big band jazz in this country. The writing is superb on this enthralling, entertaining exploration of old and new sounds. 4.5 stars.”

– Eric Myers, The Australian

Ellen Kirkwood is an award-winning composer, trumpeter, bandleader and educator. She an Australian-born person of British heritage, living on unceded Wangal Country in Sydney’s Inner West.

She completed a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Jazz Performance, at Sydney Conservatorium in 2008, and completed an Honours in composition at UNSW in 2020, receiving the grade of 1st Class. Kirkwood was the 2019 winner of the NSW APRA Art Music Award for Jazz Excellence, and the 2012 Jann Rutherford Memorial Award for young women in Jazz. She was a finalist in the 2017 Freedman Jazz Fellowships and her 1-hour suite for Sirens Big Band and guests, entitled [A]part, was a finalist for Jazz Work of the Year in the 2018 APRA Art Music Awards. She was one of ten recipients of the 2021 APRA Art Music Fund commission, leading to the creation and recording of five works for her group Underwards in 2022. These pieces were released alongside four other original works by Kirkwood, on Underwards’ debut album, Delve, in July 2023.

Photo by andy baker

In 2016 Ellen received a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts for a composition mentorship with stellar composer/pianist Barney McAll, during which she penned [A]part; a groundbreaking 1 hour suite for Sirens Big Band plus featured soloists Andrea Keller, Sandy Evans and Gian Slater. The 2018 album recording of [A]part was launched at performances at Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Sydney International Jazz Festival and Blue Mountains Theatre as part of an Australia Council-funded tour. Additionally, Kirkwood has released two albums of original works; Theseus and the Minotaur with Captain Kirkwood (2012) and I Don’t Care with Fat Yahoozah (2015). Kirkwood has composed works commissioned by the Festival for New Trumpet Music (USA), the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival, Ars Musica Australis, Sirens Big Band, MLC School Burwood, Brisbane Grammar School and solo guitarist Tom Hogan. Her compositions and arrangements also feature in albums and performances by Mister Ott, On The Stoop, Sirens Big Band, Pharos, Spectra Jazz Orchestra and Godfrey Uke and His Orchestra.

Underwards - photo by noni carroll

[A]part Album Cover. Art and design by Monica Higgins

designed by monica higgins

Kirkwood currently leads contemporary jazz quartet Underwards, EK & the EkstraOrdinaires and improvising wind quartet Alloy, and performs regularly with Mister Ott, Pharos, On The Stoop, SICKO and Splinter Orchestra. She is also co-curator of the experimental music and jazz series Jetsets, and a member of the board of directors of the Sydney Improvised Music Association. Notable musicians she has worked with include Ingrid and Christine Jensen (USA/CAN), Satoko Fujii (JAP), Shubha Mudgal (IND) and Australians Mike Nock, Shannon Barnett, Bobby Singh, Chris Abrahams and Judy Bailey. She is currently the director of Spectra Jazz Orchestra, the University of NSW Jazz Orchestra, and was temporarily director of the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra 1 in August – November 2022. She has been a guest tutor at a variety of jazz workshops in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne. As of February 2023, Ellen is working on a PhD at the Australian National University under supervisors Dr Christopher Sainsbury, Prof. Kim Cunio and Dr Amanda Stuart. Her PhD project combines music creation with Indigenous environmental and cultural learning.

Ellen Kirkwood directing Spectra Jazz Orchestra. Photo by Julian Hamman

Directing Spectra Jazz Orchestra - Photo by julian hamman

Composer, Trumpeter, Educator