Biography
Jenna Cave is a composer, arranger and saxophonist based in Sydney, Australia. Her contemporary jazz compositions have been played by top Australian musicians at concerts and jazz festivals around Australia.
Jenna began learning the alto saxophone at age 11, and developed a passion for music when she discovered jazz at age 14 whilst playing in her school band. At age 16 she began pre-tertiary jazz studies at the Canberra School of Music with John Mackey, and soon after began playing professional gigs around Canberra. She commenced a Bachelor of Music (Jazz) in 2002. Originally a saxophone student, she changed her principal study to jazz arranging and composition, under the tuition of Miroslav Bukovsky. As an undergraduate student her compositions were performed at concerts and jazz festivals by numerous ensembles at the Australian National University School of Music including the Big Band, Recording Ensemble and Jazz Vocal Ensemble. In 2006 Jenna co-produced her first album, “Take it in Colour” with fellow composer Sally Greenaway. The album featured three of Jenna’s large ensemble works. In 2006 Jenna graduated from the ANU School of Music with a Bachelor of Music (Jazz) with 1st Class Honours and was awarded both the Peter and Lena Karmel Prize and the Bernard Neumann Memorial Award for “The most outstanding graduate from the ANU School of Music”.
Jenna was featured as a composer at the 2007 Melbourne International Women’s Jazz Festival, where the Bennett’s Lane Big Band (made up of leading Australian jazz musicians including Andrea Keller, Julien Wilson, Eugene Ball and Shannon Barnett) performed a set of her music.
From 2008 to 2010 Jenna undertook a Master of Music (Composition) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where she studied with Bill Motzing. She was awarded a University of Sydney Postgraduate Award scholarship for her two years of study. From 2008 to 2010 Jenna’s music was performed regularly by the Sydney Con Big Band at concerts and festivals including the 2010 World Expo in China, 2008 Wangaratta Jazz Festival and 2008 and 2009 Manly Jazz Festivals.
The Monday Night Jazz Orchestra at The Stag, (led by Colin Phillpot and featuring leading Australian jazz musicians including Warwick Alder, Dave Panichi ,Craig Walters and Dave Theak) featured Jenna’s extended work Dear Miss Upstill at their premiere performance in November 2010. In 2010 Jenna’s music was also performed by the Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra at their residency at The Apartment (Melbourne), and the Royal Military College Big Band at the Merrimbulla Jazz Festival.
In early 2010 Jenna was commissioned to arrange three pieces for the Sirens Big Band who performed these arrangements as well as some of Jenna’s compositions at venues around Sydney including the SIMA Sound Lounge and 505. Jenna also performed regularly with the band on soprano and alto saxophones during 2010.
Jenna was awarded the runner’s up prize in the Sprogis Woods Jazz Composition Competition at the 2010 Canberra International Music Festival for her piece Dear Miss Upstill. Her West African big band chart A Stranger in Helsinki was chosen by the Australian Music Centre to be submitted in the Australian National Section for the 2011 ISCM World New Music Days, and was also featured on a DVD included with the first issue of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music magazine Conversation (2010).
On the completion of her Master’s degree Jenna was commissioned by the Melbourne Women’s International Jazz Festival to compose a work for the Festival Sextet (Featuring Andrea Keller, Shannon Barnett and Norwegian saxophonist Froy Aagre). The piece was premiered at the festival in December 2010.
In 2011 Jenna was invited to be the Western Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra’s composer-in-residence. The residency includes a commission to compose three new works for the ensemble, as well as funding for further composition study. During 2011 Jenna is also undertaking postgraduate studies in Screen Composition at the Australian Film, Radio and Television School.
