Jodie Blackshaw

Jodie Blackshaw (b. 1971) is a proud regional Australian who grew up in the south-east of rural Australia (Wiradjuri) and formed a very personal relationship with music early in life through the creative application of her imagination to musical colours and movement. Today, she continues to seek creative experiences for students through her teaching and composing so they, too, may enjoy the personal relationship she discovered in her formative years.

Jodie has won multiple awards for her compositions and proudly composes music for all age groups and capabilities. In 2020 she completed her PhD in Composition studying with Carl Vine and later, Australian indigenous composer Dr. Christopher Sainsbury. Her music has been featured as test pieces in state and national competitions, appears on numerous state curriculum repertoire lists and has been performed by numerous school and professional ensembles throughout Australasia, Europe and the Americas.

Jodie has thrice presented at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago (2012, 2014, 2018) as well as conducted residencies and/or conference presentations in the Middle East, Hong Kong, Vietnam, The Netherlands, throughout Canada, Australia and the United States. She is published by Manhattan Beach Music, GIA Music Inc., Alfred Music and is exclusively distributed by Brolga Music/C. Alan Publications.

Blackshaw is passionate about exploring and developing the sound of wind band music and believes that programming and performing composers with a different “sound world” is key. To that end, she founded the Female Band Composer database in 2017 (https://www.jodieblackshaw.com/female-band-composers) which is now cited as a tool for repertoire selection by several leading educational institutions, curriculum programs and wind band performance conferences including The Midwest Clinic. In 2018 Blackshaw founded the website www.colourfullmusic.com in response to a panel presentation she curated for the Midwest Clinic entitled ‘Directors for Diversity’. ColourFULL Music shares diverse wind band programs created by an international array of leading conductors within the wind music community and now has a following of more than 5000 music educators and conductors. 

In July 2022 Jodie proudly became a board member of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE).

To find out more please visit: www.jodieblackshaw.com