Vanessa Perica

Vanessa Perica is a Composer, Arranger, Conductor based in Melbourne, Australia.

Originally hailing from Perth, Vanessa majored in Jazz Composition and Arranging at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Upon completion of her Bachelor degree in 2003, she was awarded the prestigious Bob Wyllie Scholarship for ‘Most Outstanding Graduating Jazz Student.’ Other recipients of this honour include Mat Jodrell, Linda May Han Oh, Troy Roberts and Ben Vanderwal. Her mentor was the legendary Graeme Lyall AM.

Recent career highlights include both national and international recognition. In 2015, Vanessa led the Perth Jazz Society Big Band through a set of her original compositions at the Perth International Jazz Festival. In 2018, her composition ‘Dance of the Zinfandels’ was a finalist in the Anonimus Big Band International Composition Competition. Selected by Guillermo Klein, it was performed live in front of a jury in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In June 2019, under her direction, Vanessa’s compositions were featured at the Sydney Con International Jazz Festival, performed by the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra to critical acclaim.

In this same year, Vanessa was a recipient of an Australia Council grant to record her debut album. The Vanessa Perica Orchestra (VPO) features an all-star lineup including Julien Wilson, Mat Jodrell, Jamie Oehlers, Andrea Keller, Sam Anning, Carl Mackey, Jordan Murray, Ross Irwin, Phil Noy and Ben Vanderwal. Recorded in January 2019, the album entitled ’Love is a Temporary Madness’ has now been released, reaching as high as number 3 on the ARIA charts and number 1 on the AIR Independent charts. It is also a nominee for Best Jazz Album in the Music Victoria Awards.

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Album Review

Love is a Temporary Madness by Jack Bowers

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Album Review

Love is a Temporary Madness by Angelo Leonardi

“…there's “a new sheriff in town,” she's packing heat, and you'd best listen carefully to what she has to say.” 4.5 stars - Jack Bowers, All About Jazz

“A mighty achievement, and a milestone in Australian music.” - Julien Wilson, award winning saxophonist on ‘Love is a Temporary Madness’.

“…She is a big talent — still under-the-radar, but probably not for much longer.” - Ted Gioia

4.5 stars “…an ambitious album of great depth…” - Eric Myers, The Australian

“...Perica creates dense, multi-layered works, full of complex shading, that are forever twisting and turning, alternating solid rhythmic foundation with free-flight

“…there's “a new sheriff in town,” she's packing heat, and you'd best listen carefully to what she has to say.” 4.5 stars - Jack Bowers, All About Jazz

“A mighty achievement, and a milestone in Australian music.” - Julien Wilson, award winning saxophonist on ‘Love is a Temporary Madness’.

“…She is a big talent — still under-the-radar, but probably not for much longer.” - Ted Gioia

4.5 stars “…an ambitious album of great depth…” - Eric Myers, The Australian

“...Perica creates dense, multi-layered works, full of complex shading, that are forever twisting and turning, alternating solid rhythmic foundation with free-flight. At their best, they are brimming with emotional resonance, highlighted by rich sonorities.” - Des Cowley, Rhythms Magazine

“Vanessa’s exceptional writing achieves a sensitive balance between involved ensemble composition and providing space for many of the personalities of the all-star band to shine.” - Rafael Karlen, The Music Trust

“...instantly compelling. There is nothing easy about composing and arranging Jazz orchestral charts and few musicians embark on this tortuous path. Thankfully Perica did, and her charts are magnificent.” - John Fenton, JazzLocal32.com

“But the marquee acts of Frisell and quadruple Grammy Award winner Billy Childs and his quartet were only a glamorous part of a fine day of top-notch jazz from mainly Australian musicians, including some of tomorrow’s stars in the Sydney Con Jazz Orchestra – one of the highlights in an amazingly tight and vibrant set of works by Melbourne composer Vanessa Perica who directed them…” - Daily Telegraph

...”she writes without fear...or sympathy” - Graeme Lyall AM, composer, saxophonist. Bell Award Hall of Fame inductee, 2015

“Vanessa writes the kind of big band music you both want to play and listen to...fiery and interactive, with melodies that stick with you for days.” - Jamie Oehlers, winner World Saxophone Competition 2003, Coordinator of Jazz Studies WAAPA.

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