Fiona Joy Hawkins

Fiona Joy Hawkins, known professionally as Fiona Joy, is an Australian vocalist and pianist. Her collaborations have included five albums produced by Will Ackerman. Her influences include George Winston, Michael Nyman, Chopin, and Mendelssohn.[1][2]

Fiona Joy Hawkins
Background information
BornCessnock, New South Wales, Australia
GenresClassical, new-age, world
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentsPiano, vocals
Years active2000s–present
LabelsLittle Hartley, Blue Coast
Associated actsWill Ackerman, FLOW
Websitewww.fionajoy.com

The Sydney Morning Herald said of her in 2007 that she "ranks among the world's best in her genre, but struggles for recognition in her home country" of Australia, largely due to the lack of recognition given to the genre by Australian music critics until she won the 2006 ZMR award. Fiona Joy is the first Australian to place in the top ten on the ZMR chart and the first to win a ZMR award.[3]

Early life

Fiona Joy was born in Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia, and raised in both Newcastle and Tamworth.[4] She began to study the piano at a young age, composing short pieces before she was a teenager. She trained at the Tamworth Conservatorium of Music under tutor Ursula Bakker and showed early signs of musical talent.[5] Her teachers included Es Clarke, Ursula Bakker, and Maureen Newell.[6]

Musical career

Her first album, Portrait of a Waterfall, charted at No. 1 on the New Age Reporter (NAR) World Charts in 2005.[7][8] Her classical release, Angel Above My Piano, earned the NAR Lifestyle Music Award for Best Piano Album of the Year for 2006.[9]

She has been a finalist multiple times in both the Musicoz Awards in the jazz and classical categories,[10][11] and the Los Angeles Music Awards in the New Age/Ambient Instrumental category.[12]

In 2008, Fiona Joy was the 2008 MusicOz winner for Best Jazz or Classical Artist.[13] In 2009 she won Album of the Year, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, and Best Instrumental Album by Zone Music Reporter for her album Blue Dream.[14] The album was also a finalist for an ARIA Music Award.[4]

Her fifth album, 600 Years in a Moment (2013), draws on Celtic music from her family traditions as well as vocal and instrumental performances intended to represent Mongolia, Hungary, China, Africa, Tibet, Ireland, the Middle East, and Native America. She played a Stuart & Sons piano and was recorded in Newcastle, Australia, in Vermont at Ackerman's Imaginary Road Studios, Los Angeles, New York, Bremen and Portland, Maine, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Featured musicians include cellist Eugene Friesen, bassist Tony Levin, drummer Jeff Haynes, Charlie Bisharat, violinist and vocalist Rebecca Daniel, and guitarists Will Ackerman and Todd Boston.[15] The album was awarded the Best Instrumental Album – Piano at the 2013 ZMR Music Awards.[16]

In 2013 Fiona Joy was a finalist in the Best Live Performance, Best New Age Album, and Best New Age Song categories at the Independent Music Awards.[17] She was also finalist in the Best Live Performance, Best New Age Album, and Best New Age Song categories at the Independent Music Awards[18] that same year.

In 2014, Fiona Joy and Will Ackerman produced the album By a Wire by Jennifer Defrayne with Fiona Joy assisting on piano and lyrics.[19] In 2014 her song "Grace" appeared on the compilation album Winds of Samsara,[20] which reached No. 1 on the Billboard New Age albums chart.[21] and won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.[22][23]

In 2015, Zhou Tiebing, of the Xiangyang Government Network, labelled Hawkins the "piano princess" after her performance in Shenyang.[24]

Her 2016 album Signature Synchronicity received the Independent Music Award for Best New Age Song for "Song Calling Earth" and the award for Best New Age Album.[25][26] It also received the ZMR Award for Best Piano Album.[27]

In May 2017, Fiona Joy's second solo piano album, Into The Mist, was released on Blue Coast Records.

In October, 2017, Fiona Joy joined with Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, and Will Ackerman and created the group New Age group “FLOW" (from the first letters of Fiona Joy’, Blatt’s, Ackerman’s first name and Oster’s last name).[28] FLOW debuted with a performance at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall on October 6, 2017.[29]

In early 2018, Fiona Joy released Story of Ghosts as her third audiophile release with Blue Coast Records.[30] It was nominated for Zone Music Reporter's Best Piano Album - Solo.

In 2019, Fiona Joy teamed with Rebecca Daniel and released the album The Lightness of Dark featuring the Kanimbla Quartet.[31] She also appeared with FLOW on the album Promise.[32]

Besides Ackerman, Fiona Joy has also been produced by:

  • Grammy Winning producer Corin Nelson on Blue Dream, Christmas Joy, and 600 Years in a Moment; and
  • Cookie Marenco on Story of Ghosts, Into the Mist and Signature Solo

Fiona Joy appears on these labels:

She has also been interviewed regarding trends in the use of high-end pianos and the potential changes new instruments make to a musician's compositions.[35][36][37][38][39][40]

Fiona Joy is a painter whose works have been exhibited at the Butterflies Gallery in Pokolbin as well as internationally.[3]

Discography
  • Portrait of a Waterfall (2005)
  • Angel Above My Piano (2006)
  • Ice – Piano Slightly Chilled (2008)
  • Blue Dream (2008)
  • Music for Massage (Compilation) (2010)
  • Christmas Joy (2011)
  • Live at the Q with the Blue Dream Ensemble (2012)
  • Sensual Journeys (2012)
  • 600 Years in a Moment (2013)
  • Signature – Solo (2015)[41] (as "Fiona Joy")
  • Signature – Synchronicity (2016)[42] (as "Fiona Joy")
  • Into The Mist (2017)[43] (as "Fiona Joy")
  • Flow (2017)[44] (as "Fiona Joy")
  • Story of Ghosts (2018)[45] (as "Fiona Joy")
  • The Lightness of Dark (2019)[31] (as "Fiona Joy Hawkins") with Rebecca Daniel featuring the Kanimbla Quartet

Digital Only
  • Music for Funerals
  • Music for Weddings
  • Music for Sex[46]

References
  1. Kathy Parsons (13 October 2012). "Review - Two Grand I'm Yours: Tour Compilation". Mainly Piano. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  2. John Sunier (25 November 2009). "Review - Fiona Joy Hawkins- Blue Dream – Little Hartley Music". Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  3. Michael Blaxland (22 April 2007). "Hawkins hoping for new age of recognition". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  4. "About Fiona". Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  5. Kelly Fuller (1 December 2011). "Two Grand I'm Yours". ABC News. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  6. Fiona, Hawkins (2006). Portrait of a Waterfall (Media notes). Fiona Joy Hawkins.
  7. Jackson, Ronald (2006). "Review of Ice (Piano Slightly Chilled)". (jazzreview.com). Archived from the original on 12 June 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  8. Kelly, Rhonda (13 March 2008). "Fiona Joy Hawkins is Chillin' at the Top of the New Age World". Reuters (reuters.com). Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  9. "2006 NAR Lifestyle Music Award Winners". (newagereporter.com). Archived from the original on 4 May 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  10. "2007 Top 5 Finalists". (musicoz.org). Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  11. "Top 5 Nominees Announced for the Musicoz Awards" (PDF). (apra.com.au). 31 October 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  12. "Official LAMA Main Event Award Categories". (lamusicawards.com). 2008. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
  13. "FIONA JOY HAWKINS - LIVING HER DREAM". Insight Magazine. November 2009.
  14. "2009 ZMR Music Award Winners". Zone Music Reporter. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  15. Michael Diamond. (11 June 2013). "Music and Media Focus". Michaeldiamondmusic.com. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  16. "2013 ZMR Music Awards Winners". Zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  17. "Fiona Joy Hawkins". Independent Music Awards. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  18. "Fiona Joy Hawkins - Independent Music Awards". Independent Music Awards. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  19. "Fiona Joy credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  20. "Winds of Samsara". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  21. "New Age Albums list August 2, 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  22. "Grammys 2015 live ceremony: winners and performances". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  23. "Not Iggy Azalea or Sia but Fiona Joy scores a Grammy nomination too". Smh.com.au. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  24. "澳大利亚钢琴家菲欧娜·乔伊在襄阳举办钢琴音乐会". hb.ifeng.com. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  26. Independent Music Awards (27 January 2017), Fiona Joy - 15th Independent Music Awards Acceptance Speech, retrieved 19 December 2017
  27. "Fiona Joy Hawkins sheet music, tabs and lead sheets". Jellynote.com. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  28. "FLOW - FLOW | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  29. "Will Ackerman Premieres 'Free Ascent' From New Group FLOW: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  30. "Story of Ghosts | Blue Coast Music". bluecoastmusic.com. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  31. "The Lightness of Dark - Rebecca Daniel, Fiona Joy Hawkins | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  32. "Ambient Visions Music Reviews". ambientvisions.com. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  33. Music, Little Hartley. "Little Hartley Music - Home". littlehartleymusic.com.au. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  34. "FLOW Performs to a Full House - FLOW". FLOW. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  35. Neva Grant (18 January 2011). "Musical Innovation: A Grander Grand Piano". NPR. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  36. "News from Munich HIGH END - and get ready for the Sydney show!". email.nextmedia.com.au. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  37. "Jana's First Morning at the LA Show". Stereophile.com. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  38. "The Los Angeles Audio Show Hits the Ground Running Friday". Stereophile.com. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  39. "New Age Instrumental Review: Fiona Joy - Into The Mist (Audiophile Edition-SACD)". Newagemusicreviews.net. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  40. Hilton, B. (27 May 2015). "BEING: Events: FIONA JOY – Performing Live at T.H.E. SHOW NEWPORT". BEING. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  41. "Signature - Solo - Fiona Joy Hawkins | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  42. "Artist Search for "fiona joy"". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  43. "Fiona Joy – Signature-Solo - Audiophile Edition – Blue Coast – Audiophile Audition". Audaud.com. 5 November 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  44. "FLOW The Group". FLOW. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  45. "Story of Ghosts | Blue Coast Music". bluecoastmusic.com. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  46. "Music for Sex - Fiona Joy Hawkins | Credits". AllMusic. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
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