Some of the many highlights of the 2025 MWIJF! A huge thank you to the incredible @kennedysnow_band who works tirelessly every year to put on such an incredible festival. She is constantly working to create space for female and gender diverse musicians, and we are so grateful for her dedication and ongoing support! MWIJF will be back in 2026! #ausjazz #jazz #newmusic #womeninjazz

LENA DOUGLAS WINS THE ROLLING STOCK RECORDING PRIZE FOR 2025. MWIJF and Rolling Stock Studios (director Myles Mumford) are proud to announce that the winner of this year’s recording prize is Lena Douglas. This prize is awarded to an artist in the festival and comprises two days of recording mixing and mastering at Rolling Stock Studios. This award has provided a significant launching pad for many artists including Selene Messinis’ Mad Vantage, Gen Kuner and MASxLRT (Melbourne Amplified Strings with the Louisa Rankin Trio - in the studio this week!). #recordingprize #mwijf2025 #australianoriginalmusic #improvisedmusic

MIA BARHAM WINS THE 2025 LUMINA COMPOSITION AWARD! The Lumina Award Panel of judges (Andrea Keller, Gian Slater, Angela Davis, Shannon Barnett & Sonja Horbelt) received a great response from women and non-binary musicians in the jazz community making the task to choose one winner a difficult one. They were excited to note the breadth and diversity of the music submitted, and the wealthy display of sophistication, imagination, creativity, and craft.   They thrilled to advise that the winner of this year’s award is Mia Barham!!! Mia receives a cash prize, as well as an invitation to perform in the 2026 MWIJF. Thanks to all applicants - the future of improvised music in Melbourne is looking bright indeed! This award is proudly sponsored by the University of Melbourne - Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. #luminacompositionaward #unimelbvca #mwijf2025 @jazzimprov.unimelb #melbournemusic #originalcomposition

Tonight is the final show for the 2025 Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival! We are closing the festival with three incredible sets of original Australian music from Bernice Ramos, Lauren Tsamouras and Old Country, New Country featuring renowned saxophonist Sandy Evans! Come along and celebrate the amazing past 10 days of music! Tickets are moving quickly so make sure to grab yours via our link in bio! #ausjazz #ausmusic #mwijf

Don’t miss The Wardells and Shannon Barnett tonight 7.30pm!

I’m looking forward to heading to Melbourne this weekend to perform at the Melbourne International Women’s Jazz Festival! It is always a joy to be a part of this festival organised by the incredible Sonja Horbett. This year I am performing with ‘Old Country, New Country’, featuring Paul Williamson on trumpet, Peggy Lee on cello and Dylan van der Schyff on drums. We will be premiering some new pieces that will feature on a forthcoming recording to be released in 2026! We are performing in a double bill with JRMA winner Lauren Tsamouras with an opening set from emerging Monash University artist Bernice Ramos! This will be a wonderful night of music that I am thrilled to be a part of! Head to my link in bio for tickets! #ausmusic #ausjazz #MWIJF

We had an incredible opening night last night featuring Ashling O’Farrell and Flora Carbo + The Virago Quartet! The festival continues tonight at the Jazzlab with a double bill featuring Lena Douglas + Sara Flindt, with an opening set from upcoming folk artist Maeve Grieve! There are still a few tickets left… head to our link in bio to get yours! #ausmusic #folk #jazzlive

In a partnership with the Jann Rutherford Memorial Award, this year’s winner pianist Lauren Tsamouras will be performing at the MWIJF! Lauren presents ‘Another Green World’, featuring compositions by Lauren, performed alongside Harry Birch on double bass and Theo Carbo on guitar, delivers an intimate and meditative experience for both musicians and their audience through exploration of both pulsatile and improvisation-led compositions. Lauren Tsamouras is a pianist, composer, and improviser based in Warrang/Sydney. Completing a bachelor degree in jazz piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2020 she was fortunate enough to learn from many renowned Australian jazz musicians such as Judy Bailey, Kevin Hunt, Carl Dewhurst, Matt MacMahon, Steve Barry and Emma Stephenson. Since then, she has become a part of many burgeoning jazz and improvised music projects within the Sydney scene. She leads and composes for her contemporary jazz duo Another Green World, whose debut album Mytera was released in March 2023. In addition to her own project, Lauren performs regularly with a range of ensembles around Sydney including Pharos (a big band celebrating women musicians and composers in jazz led by Hannah James), Volant (led by saxophonist Matt Ottignon), and Home Is (led by saxophonist/flautist Hinano Fujisaki). Get your tickets via our link in bio! #ausmusic #ausjazz #womeninjazz

The MWIJF kicks off tomorrow!! This year we are featuring an incredible line-up of both local and international musicians! You don’t want to miss out on your opportunity to see some of the world’s most exciting musicians live in Melbourne! Tickets are moving quickly, make sure to grab yours via our link in bio! #ausjazz #mwijf #livemusic

Closing out this years MWIJF is Old Country, New Country, featuring the incredible Sydney-based saxophonist Sandy Evans! Old Country, New Country is the collaborative ensemble of Peggy Lee (cello), Paul Williamson (trumpet), and Dylan van der Schyff (drums). The group employs a wide range of extended instrumental techniques, diverse formal concepts, and stylistic boundary crossing to explore the intersections of composition, free improvisation, and experimental music. Following on from their eponymously titled 2024 recording, this performance features a new iteration of the ensemble featuring a collaboration with internationally renowned saxophonist and composer Sandy Evans. This performance will premiere new works that will feature on a new recording to be released in 2026. This performance is co-presented with Monash University and the Melbourne Jazz Co-op. #ausjazz #mwijf #improvised

Reknowed vocalist Elly Poletti is performing at MWIJF this year! Hailing from Phillip Island, Elly Poletti is regularly seen performing around Melbourne covering the likes of artists such as Amy Winehouse, Adele, Aretha Franklin and much more. Now she is leading a fresh new band, performing original songs, weaving influences of soul, jazz and funk with emotional depth and dynamic energy. Known for her powerhouse vocals, Elly has written songs that show off the light and shade in her voice, drawing inspiration from the artists that she has covered for so long. With a mixture of up beat rhythmic groove and slow soulful ballads, her brand new songs are ready to be heard and premiered here at the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival. On weekends, Elly Poletti can be found lighting up Melbourne’s live music scene, performing dynamic shows that celebrate the music of Amy Winehouse, Adele, Aretha Franklin, and Alicia Keys — alongside her own powerful original songs.An accomplished performer both on stage and in theatre, Elly has been recognised at the annual Bruce Awards for Best Female Support and Best First on Stage Performance. She has appeared at major festivals including the Wangaratta Jazz Festival, Melbourne Jazz Festival, and White Night Melbourne, and performed at some of the city’s most iconic venues — from John Cain Arena and The Forum, to Federation Square, The Athenaeum Theatre, and Chapel Off Chapel. Tickets are moving quickly! Head to our link in bio to purchase! #ausjazz #ContemporaryJazz #ModernJazz

Introducing our final Monash Emerging Artists: Sophie Nickson! Australian vocalist, Sophie Nickson is a Melbourne based musician, composer and bandleader. Currently studying at the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Sophie has recorded and performed with the likes of Kristin Berardi, Michelle Nicolle, Grant Windsor and Coco’s Lunch, and has completed her studies under the guidance of Louisa Rankin, Emma Gilmartin and Amelia Evans. Performing a selection of original compositions and Australian jazz, Sophie has a unique flair for exploring the spectrum of human emotions. With her inspiration stemming from artists such as Vince Jones, Kristin Berardi and Natalie Cole, Sophie’s ability to connect people is effortless, through tasteful melodies and insightful storytelling. #ausmusic #livemusic #womeninmusic