Screen Music Awards Winners: Jed Kurzel, Alex Olijnyk, Joff Bush & More

APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC) have unveiled the winners for the 2024 Screen Music Awards, with the composers who soundtrack screens of all sizes being honoured for their work.

Handing out the awards at a ceremony at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre this evening (Tuesday, October 29th), the event was hosted by Susie Youssef alongside guest presenters Elaine Crombie and Heather Mitchell AM, while the Musical Director for the ceremony was Erkki Veltheim.

Leading the charge on the winners front was Jed Kurzel, who took out Feature Film Score of the Year for the third time thanks to his composition for Monkey Man. Kurzel had previous won the award in 2011 for Snowtown, and again in 2015 for Slow West.

The award for Emerging Composer of the Year went to Alex Olijnyk whose background in contemporary classical and chamber music has resulted in a specialty of multimedia/sensory works that blends orchestral elements with electronic textures, strong melodies, and improvisation.

Joff Bush, Jazz D’Arcy, Daniel O’Brien and Joe Twist were also winners once again, this time taking out Best Music for Children’s Programming for work on the globally acclaimed Bluey: The Sign.

Cezary Skubiszewski and Jan Skubiszewski were awarded Best Music for a Television Drama for their work on High Country, while the Television Comedy award went to Michael Yezerski for his work on While the Men Are Away.

Elsewhere, Amanda Brown, Damien Lane, and David Lehā (Radical Son) took out Best Original Song Composed for the Screen for Carry You from RFDS, while first-timer Stefan Gregory's original music for The Rooster was honoured with Best Soundtrack Album.

Arguably, the most successful pairing of the evening was that of Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks, who took out the Most Performed Screen Composer awards for both Australia and Overseas, while also being honoured with the inaugural Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series alongside their many co-writers for LEGO Masters.

The event also featured a special performance by Missy Higgins, who performed Edge of Something from Total Control alongside the Screen Music Awards Orchestra in honour of writer, director and producer, Rachel Perkins, who was given the Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award.

The full list of winners can be found below.

2024 Screen Music Awards Winners

Feature Film Score of the Year

Monkey Man

Composed by Jed Kurzel

Published by Universal/MCA Music Publishing

Emerging Composer of the Year

Alex Olijnyk

Best Music for Children’s Programming

Bluey: The Sign

Composed by Joff Bush, Jazz D’Arcy, Daniel O’Brien & Joe Twist

Published by Universal Music Publishing

Best Music for a Documentary

War Tails

Composed by Piotr Nowotnik

Best Music for a Short Film

Blame the Rabbit

Composed by Michael Darren

Best Music for a Television Comedy

While the Men Are Away: Furrowing the Fuhrer’s Brow!

Composed by Michael Yezerski

Best Music for a Television Drama

High Country: Season 1

Composed by Cezary Skubiszewski & Jan Skubiszewski

Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series

LEGO Masters

Composed by Adam Gock, Dinesh Wicks, Anthony Ammar, David Bruggemann, Brontë Horder, David Huxtable, Richard LaBrooy, Adam Sofo, Mitch Stewart, Cassie To

Published by Universal Music Publishing obo Endomol Australia

Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media

Solium Infernum

Composed by Michael Allen

Best Opening Television Theme

Night Bloomers

Composed by Darren Lim

Best Original Song Composed for the Screen

Carry You from RFDS

Composed by Amanda Brown, Damien Lane & David Lehā

Published by Kobalt Music Publishing obo Lillipilli IP

Best Soundtrack Album

The Rooster

Composed by Stefan Gregory

Best Music for an Advertisement

Carlton Dry: Drylandia

Composed by Jeremy Richmond

Published by Rumble Studios

Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia

Composers: Adam Gock & Dinesh Wicks

For MasterChef Australia, Travel Guides, Married at First Sight

Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas

Composers: Adam Gock & Dinesh Wicks

For MasterChef Australia, Stars on Mars, Lego Masters Australia