Sisters in Sync: 3-2-1 with Gemma Farrell
3 Questions - 2 Insights - 1 unique photo with remarkable women musicians
Gemma Farrell is a powerhouse in Australian jazz, celebrated for her artistry, role in education, and advocacy. A jazz saxophonist, composer, educator, and D'Addario Artist, Gemma balances a dynamic career as a performer and a lecturer in jazz studies at WAAPA, where she is also completing her PhD. She has led the WAYJO Pathways Program, Progressions (formerly Young Women in Jazz), since 2014, earning nominations for the APRA AMCOS Art Music Award for Excellence in Music Education in 2023 and 2024. In 2024 her contributions were recognised with the WA State Luminary Award and the Australian Women in Music Warner Music Australia Humanitarian Award.
Gemma's impact extends far beyond her teaching. She is the founder of the Artemis Orchestra, a predominantly female big band, and the New Standards Ensemble at WAAPA, both of which champion the music of composers of marginalised genders. Her work as a leader is equally impressive — the Gemma Farrell Quintet has released critically acclaimed albums, including Organised Chaos (2018), The View From The Top (2022), and Electronic (2024). The quintet has toured extensively, earning praise at major festivals such as the Perth International Jazz Festival and the Sydney Women’s International Jazz Festival.
Gemma’s versatility shines in her collaborations, including her European project MFG and her leadership with WAYJO. Gemma embodies the mission of representation and inclusion in the arts.
In this Sisters in Sync interview, Gemma reflects on the women who inspired her, the joy of collaboration, and her vision for a more equitable music industry.
Who is a female musician that has been a source of inspiration in your musical journey?
Louise Denson who was the first female to be hired in a salary position in the jazz department of an Australian university. She was the head of music at the Queensland Conservatorium when I was a student there and I decided back then that I wanted to have the same impact on jazz education that she has had. I'm still trying.
What's one piece of advice from a woman in music that has stuck with you?
A long time ago I asked legendary saxophonist Sandy Evans about having kids, saying that I wanted to have a family but didn't know of many examples of women who were professional jazz musicians and mothers. She gave me some examples, most notably Andrea Keller, and said that if they could make it work I could too.
Can you share an experience where collaborating with other women significantly influenced your work?
Creating the Artemis orchestra, a big band made up of predominantly female, non-binary and trans musicians, that only performs original music by Australian people of marginalised genders. We had our first gig in 2017 and released our first album in 2021. This group started as an idea to work with other women I was inspired by in the Perth jazz scene and has evolved to so much more. It's much needed representation that means a lot to the members and our audiences. I will continue to run this project as long as I am able to.
From your perspective, what is the most significant change needed in the music industry to better support women?
Representation, both on stage and in educational roles and positions of power. You have to see it to believe you can be it, and at the moment women in jazz make up less than a quarter of professional jazz musicians, with over half of those women being vocalists, so we need to do more to promote our female drummers, bassists and trombonists.
Gemma Farrell (top), jazz saxophonist and educator, smiling in a music studio setting, and Stephanie Nicholls (bottom), artistic director of Mirabilis Collective, smiling outdoors under a lush, sunlit tree.