Mace Francis

Mace Francis is a passionate advocate of jazz in Australian. He currently holds positions as the artistic director of both the WA Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) and the Perth International Jazz Festival (PIJF). Both organisations have grown in artistic programs and human resources under his leadership.

Mace formed his own 14-piece ensemble in 2005; the Mace Francis Orchestra (MFO), recording 10 albums, toured nationally four times and performed with international artists Jim Pugh (USA), Jon Gordon (NY), John Hollenbeck (NY), Satoko Fujii (JAP), Ed Partyka (GER) Jean Baptise Bridon (FRA) and Theo Bleckmann (NY).

For his service in the jazz artform, Mace has been awarded an APRA Professional Development Award, the Italian international composition prize, "Scrivere in Jazz", was a finalist in the 2010 national Freedman Jazz Fellowship, nominated for an Australian Bell Award (2013 & 2016), was the 2015 winner of the APRA Jazz Work of the Year, the Prelude Gallop House inaugural Composer in Residence and was awarded the 2022 APRA Art Music WA Luminary award for composition and artistic direction in WA.

Mace has worked as a guest composer and conductor with l’Orcehstre des Jeunes Jazzmen de Bourgogne (France), the Graz Composers Ensemble (Austria) the Showa University of Music Big Band (Japan), Satoko Fujii Tokyo Jazz Orchestra, ATM 15 (VIC), the Sydney Conservatorium Jazz Orchestra (NSW), the Elder Con Big Band (SA) and the Enthusiastic Musicians Union (QLD).

In 2015 Mace completed a PhD exploring site-specific composition of which he received the 2015 Faculty Research Medal.