Two Queensland Conservatorium alumni will soon travel across the globe to further their passion for research after receiving $20,000 Queensland Churchill Fellowships.
Saxophonist and school teacher, Andrew Butt, will spend time in Chicago, Seattle and New York to investigate the journey of jazz education from high school through to professional performance, while Brieley Cutting will travel to the US, UK and Netherlands to further her skills as a pianist and artistic director.
Brieley has had an already stellar career, starting with the completion of her Associate Diploma in Music at the age of 11. She went on to complete her undergraduate degree at the Con with first class honours at 18, where she was also awarded every main prize and scholarship for performance. She is currently undertaking a Doctorate of Musical Arts and continues to teach and perform as a soloist and in chamber music ensembles.
Andrew is currently Head of Music at Marist College Ashgrove and completed his undergraduate studies at the Con in the 1980s, returning to complete his Masters degree in 2012. Throughout his career the award-winning jazz saxophonist has performed with the likes of Stevie Wonder, James Morrison, Anthony Warlow, Marina Prior and Rhonda Birchmore.
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, which was established after the death of Sir Winston Churchill in accordance with his final wishes, has now funded more than 3,700 Fellowships for Australians. Queensland boasts over four hundred of these talented Churchill Fellows from all walks of life and fields of expertise.
With an average value of more than $20,000 per Fellowship, recipients have the opportunity to travel overseas to further their passion and return to Australia to implement their findings and share them with others.
The official presentation will take place at the Annual New Fellows Dinner on August 2 at Victoria Park, Herston.