I’m currently running for membership on the APRA Board of Directors. Read about my motivations for running and how to vote below.
About Jonathan
Jonathan is an ARIA Award winning composer, double bassist, producer, songwriter, passionate live music advocate and curator.
He has released three albums as composer, - The Sea, The Remembering and Forgetting of the Air, and Animarum, with all three winning multiple awards.
In 2021 he was commissioned to compose a concert work for the visiting Finnish Harpist and pianist Iro Haarla, which was performed for the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival in November 2022. This was recorded and broadcast by the ABC.
Jonathan produced and orchestrated singer/songwriter Martha Marlow’s debut album Medicine Man.
He curated a series of free concerts for City of Sydney in 2021 and is currently working to reactivate bandstands and rotundas for a National Music Day.
Jonathan studied Jazz at NSW Conservatorium, and has a Masters Degree from ANU and a diploma in screen composition from AFTRS.
He has composed Music for documentaries and short films.
Jonathan is a co-director of The Starfish Club, a monthly concert series now celebrating it’s 27th year, featuring artists such as Deb Conway, Don Walker, Amanda Brown and Lindy Morrison, Leah Flannagan, Rai Thistlethwayte, Reg Mombassa and Peter O’Doherty, Steve Kilbey, Jade MacRae, Mahalia Barnes, and many more.
Why I’m running for the APRA Board
I have been a passionate writer representative on the APRA Board for the last 4 years. As a working musician and composer, I’ve experienced, first-hand, enormous changes in the music industry from both the emergence of new technologies and platforms, as well as the devastating effects of COVID. I understand the impacts these have had on the ability of artists and composers to sustain music careers.
We need to be clear-eyed about which initiatives can support and protect our writers, performers and artists.
Legislating new rights in Intellectual Property is crucial. There needs to be substantive legal protection from increasing instances of unfair digital-media contracts, as well as from emerging threats posed by artificial intelligence. Quotas need to be introduced and maintained for meaningful representation of local artists and composers.
I also firmly support mandating Australian music to be played and performed at every major sporting event. These are just some key initiatives I will continue to be passionately committed to. I’m proud to have been part of an organisation that has effectively lobbied the Government to strengthen copyright protections and increase investment, recognising the significance of our Music Industry to the economy and to our overall sense of identity.
How to vote
1. Login to your APRA account here.
2. Select AGM Voting
3. Choose APRA
4. Choose Vote for APRA Directors
5. Click on the box next to Jonathan Zwartz and press VOTE