About Us
Helping young Australians achieve musical excellence for over 30 years
The Australian Music Foundation (AMF) is a charitable organisation that promotes and celebrates Australian musical life on a world stage. It offers scholarships to applicants who wish to pursue their music education overseas, as well as performing opportunities, career advice and professional mentoring.
Studying abroad is crucially important for young Australian musicians, no more so as the world becomes ever more interconnected. The chance to study in the elite cultural and educational centres around the globe such as London, Paris, Vienna, New York and Shanghai, helps best equip our most gifted musicians to be able to contribute back to Australia as future performers, composers, cultural leaders, and educators.
Established in 1975
The Australian Music Foundation was founded in London as a UK registered charity, and was established by Deed of Trust declared on 30 December 1975. The original trustees were Baron Goodman, The Hon. Sir Davies Hughes, Mr Robert Norman, Group Cpt Douglas Bader, Mr Sam Lynn, and Mr Guy Parsons. The first awards were made in 1980 and the Foundation quickly established strong links to the great London music schools – the Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
AMF laureates now pursue educational and performance opportunities in Europe, the United States & SE Asia.
The AMF Australia Foundation
In 2006 an Australian Trust to support the work of the AMF was created under the name of “The AMF Australia Foundation” and was publicly launched in December 2007 at a function at Admiralty House, Sydney, by HE The Governor General of Australia Major General Michael Jeffery.
Through both these enitities, the AMF continues to forge relationships at home and overseas with leading Australian musicians, arts managers, businessmen, philanthropists and government officials who share the Foundation’ vision of an Australian musical culture that draws on best performing traditions from around the world.