Canowindra’s own Jonty Bullock has hit a high note on the state stage, taking out first place in The Music Teachers’ Association of NSW 2025 Composition Competition for 16–18 year-olds.

Music has been part of Jonty’s life for as long as he can remember.

He began piano lessons with his mum before even starting school and picked up the guitar by Year 3.

Over the past year, his passion for playing has evolved into a drive to create his own original works.

“I was into some pretty cool music and I just wanted to see what I could do when I tried to make my own,” he said.

Experimenting with music software, Jonty began crafting melodies and layering basslines, enjoying the process but not really completing anything, just starting new projects whenever inspiration struck.

“Listening more and more, being inspired more and more, and doing a bit more musical theory I was able to make them a lot more complicated and musical,” Jonty said.

It was a school music teacher who suggested he enter the state competition and it was the encouragement he needed to complete one of his developing pieces.

The result, Chaotic Cadences, earned him the prize for the 16 to 18-year-old competition.

“I think the best way to describe it would be progressive rock, I was very much inspired by Mike Oldfield,” Jonty said.

“He does very intricate, very interesting progressive rock style music.”

For Jonty, whose music-making has always been “just for fun,” the recognition has been both surprising and rewarding.

The adjudicator’s feedback praised Chaotic Cadences:

“There are effective countermelodies and fills, and parts intriguingly emerge from ostinato into melody and countermelody, changing roles as they progress.”

“It’s actually awesome,” Jonty said. “Getting the email to say I’d won, I was pretty excited about that.”

Winning compositions were showcased at the NSW Music Teachers’ Conference, and Jonty’s piece will also feature at Canowindra High School’s CAPA Night on 26 November.

Currently finishing Year 10, Jonty has chosen to pursue music as a senior subject, which he will study by distance through a Sydney school.

He also has his sights set on further musical milestones, including the AMusA, LMusA, and Certificate of Performance.