Holly Harrison is an Australian composer from Western Sydney. Holly’s music is driven by the nonsense literature of Lewis Carroll, embracing stylistic juxtapositions, the visceral energy of rock, and whimsical humour. She was the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s composer in residence across 2020-2022, and in 2024 is composer in residence for the Canberra International Music Festival. Her music has been described as “exploding off the page”, full of “riotous energy, eclectic rhythmic complexity” and “inventive, witty and invested with thrilling dynamism and momentum”.
Holly’s music is frequently performed in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the USA. 2024 highlights include performances by the Oslo Philharmonic, Dudok Quartet, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, and Ensemble Offspring. Recent highlights include a national tour of Daredevil by Omega Ensemble, the European premiere of Hi-Vis by the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, and her wind ensemble work POUNCE being named a finalist in the coveted National Band Association’s 2023 Revelli Composition Contest. Last year, her brass work Burnout was performed in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony Spectacular, celebrating 50 years of the Sydney Opera House.
She has worked with the Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmanian, West Australian, Canberra, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Australian Youth Orchestra. Her music has been performed by Australia’s most celebrated artists, including the Australian String Quartet, Australia Ensemble, Ensemble Offspring, Omega Ensemble, Syzygy Ensemble, Goldner Quartet, Rubiks Collective, Adelaide Wind Orchestra, Partridge Quartet, Kiazma Duo, Arcadia Winds, Duo Blockstix, and Emma-Shay Gallenti-Guilfoyle. Internationally, her music has been performed by Eighth Blackbird, Alarm Will Sound, Nu Deco Ensemble, Manchester Camerata, Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Nurnberger Symphoniker, Riot Ensemble, Orkest de Ereprijs, Goldmund Quartet, Ensemble Garage, Spokane Symphony, and Catchfire Collective. Recently, her work has expanded to include orchestral arrangements for Australian songwriters Tim Minchin and Monique Brumby.
Holly is the recipient of numerous awards. In 2022, Holly was awarded Western Sydney University’s Chancellor’s Alumni of the Year Award, and in 2021, her band work Splinter was a finalist at the APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards. Holly’s Lobster Tales and Turtle Soup was written especially for Eighth Blackbird’s 2017 Australian tour, and was later awarded Performance of the Year at the 2018 APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards. She was the winner of the 2018 Nu Deco Ensemble's Nu Works Initiative (USA), the 2017 Sue W Chamber Music Composition Prize (AUS), the 2014 Young Composers Meeting (NL), the 2014 Riot Ensemble Call for Scores (UK), and the 2013 Pyeongchon Arts Hall International Chamber Music Composition Competition (South Korea).
Holly is currently composer in residence at The King’s School and teaches casually at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She has mentored composers as part of the 2023 ASME National Young Composer Project, as well as Omega Ensemble’s 2022 CoLAB Program and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 Australian Composers’ School. Holly frequently runs composition workshops and seminars at schools across Sydney.
Holly completed a Doctor of Creative Arts at Western Sydney University with Bruce Crossman and John Encarnacao, where she worked for several years as a sessional lecturer in composition and performance. In addition to composing, Holly plays drum kit and percussion in the improvised rock duo Tabua-Harrison with Joey Tabua (electric guitar).
Holly’s music is published by TSO House, Murphy Music Press, the Australian Music Centre, and in some cases, through this website.
📷 Sally Tsoutas