Belinda Woods

BELINDA WOODS

Belinda is an improvising musician/composer living in Melbourne, Australia. Predominantly a flautist, Belinda performs as a soloist and appears in many ensembles including her own groups Lo-Res (six piece chamber jazz) and Saveja (flute and harp duo), Tim Pledger’s Bohjass – of which Belinda has been a member for 19 years –   the BOLT Ensemble and Ali Watts’ ‘Slipper’, as well as appearing occasionally in groups such as The Sin Frontera Band and The Sunwrae Ensemble.

 

In addition to the Alto and Concert Flute (her main instrumental focus), Belinda also plays the C Melody Saxophone, which is featured in Lo-Res, and the Alto Sax on which she performs with The Sin Frontera Band, and has recently had the pleasure of playing the Bass Flute, which has appeared in numerous performance settings.

As a soloist, Belinda has developed an array of extended techniques, which she utilises in performances as an improviser and an interpreter of music composed by Melbourne-based composers, such as Dr James Hullick and Kate Neal. She has been invited to perform in Festivals across Australia, Japan and Europe, as well as independently curated events in Melbourne. Belinda’s work as a session musician has seen her record with many outstanding artists of various genres, including pop legend Cat Power, songwriters Ned Collette and Martin Mackerras, the aforementioned composers and bandleaders, as well as sound artists Philip Brophy and Graeme Croft. Her discography here pans out to include dozens of albums.

A PhD graduate of the VCA, Belinda was the recipient of a 2015 Creative Victoria Scholarship for excellence, 2009–2012 APA recipient and finalist in the 2011 APRA Professional Development Awards, Belinda explores the use of texture and contour within her compositions and improvisations to paint scenes of rich complexity, focusing on the acoustic nature of her instrument. Belinda also extends her abilities towards the composed music of the 20th and 21st centuries, the structure and innovation of which she draws into her own improvising and composition. Artistic director of the Make It Up Club from 1998–2007, and Project Manager through 2010-2016 for the Click Clack Project and Jolt Arts, Belinda has played a major role in supporting and enhancing the development of the local music scene, uniting the works of professional musicians with those of emerging artists and underprivileged individuals.