Bethlehem, Pa., February 11, 2016—Moravian College will present honorary Degrees of Music to two Australian-born musicians who have made their mark on the music-world across the globe. Guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, and composer, conductor and master orchestrator Sean O’Boyle will be honored this evening at the conclusion of Tommy Emmanuel’s sold-out concert at Moravian College. The two friends are both recipients of Australia’s highest honor—Member of the Order of Australia, AM. The Order of Australia is the pre-eminent way Australians recognize the achievements and service of their fellow citizens.
Moravian College will honor the two-time GRAMMY Nominee Tommy Emmanuel, whose five decade career has garnered hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide. He has been voted Favorite Acoustic Guitarist in both Guitar Player Magazine and Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s reader polls, and is a YouTube sensation. His videos have over 29,000,000 views and have led to sold out shows in new markets all over America. Emmanuel has also been seen all over the United States in his Public Television pledge specials “Center Stage” and “Tommy Emmanuel and Friends.”
The virtuoso guitarist is best known for his unique techniques, energetic performances, and percussive guitar effects. Emmanuel’s unique style is called “finger style” and is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. Rather than using a whole band for melody, rhythm, bass, and drum parts, he plays all that on one guitar.
Emmanuel is an honorary Kentucky Colonel, a Certified Guitar Player – a title given by Chet Atkins to only 5 guitarists in the world, an Order of Australia Medalist and the holder of both an honorary Master’s Degree and more recently an honorary Doctor of Arts from Charles Sturt University in Australia in recognition of his commitment to rural Australia and his contribution to music education. For a complete biography visit .
Sean O’Boyle, artist-in-residence at Moravian College, whose compositions have been performed by major orchestras around the world. In his homeland of Australia, the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmanian, West Australian and Queensland Symphony Orchestras have all performed his works. In Europe, the Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique Divertimento, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the BBC Concert Orchestra have performed his works. North American orchestras include the Dallas Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, Concord Chamber Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony, Tacoma Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Spartanburg Symphony and the Cincinnati Pops.
Last year, the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra and Dame Evelyn Glennie premiered his percussion concerto “Portraits of Immortal Love” under the baton of Maestra Sarah Ioannides. His song cycle “Conflict, Sadness, Victory, Resolution” was performed in October 2014 by the Moravian College Community Orchestra, Moravian College Choir and soloist Suzanne Kompass.
In 2000, O’Boyle wrote the broadcast theme for the Sydney Olympic Games, and in 2002 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had the opportunity to hear O'Boyle’s works when he was featured at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
A distinguished conductor, O’Boyle has conducted in great halls across the world, including the Sydney Opera House, Avery Fischer Hall (New York City), Queens Hall (London) and Roy Thompson Hall (Toronto).
O’Boyle has a keen interest in the music of indigenous Australians and in 2001 he collaborated with didgeridoo maestro, William Barton, in composing his Concerto for Didgeridoo & Orchestra. This concerto was ranked #32 in the ABC Classic FM “The Classic 100 Concertos” & #87 in ABC Classic 100 - 20th Century. In 2013, “An Australian in NY” premiered at the Brisbane Festival with over 8,000 people in attendance.
O’Boyle’s other recent projects include Creative Generations 2015, Queensland Music Festival 2015, Composing an Aluphone Concerto for Dame Evelyn Glennie, Composing a work to commemorate the centenary of Australia’s entry into WWI, and creating a composers’ orchestra.
For a complete biography on Sean O’Boyle, visit . O’Boyle resides in Bethlehem, Pa. with his wife, celebrated soprano Suzanne Kompass and their cat, Delius.
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established in 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia to recognize Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. Before the establishment of the order, Australian citizens received "British honours." For more information, visit .