The 2015 Screen Music Awards was a study in democracy, as the tight ensemble led by Ashley Irwin gave fabulous percussionist Hamish Stewart his disciplined opportunity on everything from ditties on commercials to kids’ animation to the theme song for Mythbusters. At the other end of the metaphorical scale, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis did battle with David Hirschfelder, who created the music for Elizabeth, Australia, The Truman Show and The Dressmaker.
There seemed to be two dominant themes to the musical challenges. Michael Lira, David Hirschfelder and Guy Gross worked the traditional tropes of their craft to make them fresh, while Jed Kurzel, Nick Cave and Bryony Marks used the teasing, extended palette of modern sounds. Both exactly as Screen Music Guild president Guy Gross prefigured in his interview.