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Yuri Worontschak, musical genius

 

I had the great pleasure of working with Yuri over the last thirty years. From Full Frontal on Channel 7 and The Micallef P(r)ogram(me) on the ABC in the 90s, through to Micallef Tonight on Channel 9, Newstopia on SBS, Talkin’ ‘Bout You Generation on Channel 10 in the 2000s and, most recently fifteen seasons of Mad as Hell on the ABC.

 

I have no hesitation in singing his praises. Often with him providing musical accompaniment.

 

Yuri is a gifted composer and has been well and truly punching below his weight working on my stuff, which requires a pastiche of styles and his skill as a parodist. He does this effortlessly and brilliantly.

 

As I say though, he is capable of much, much more.

 

His original work is often iconoclastic and genre-defying and I would urge any funding body keen on fostering productions that promotes Australia as at the vanguard of progressive theatre to hurl as much money at him as it can.

 

I look forward to seeing what he comes up with next,

 

Shaun Micallef

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Jacobsen International is proud to have a mandate agreement with Yuri, and we’re actively exploring opportunities for his musicals across both stage and screen.

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 We don’t enter into such partnerships lightly, but Yuri’s work genuinely stands out.

Unlike many, Yuri crafts his musicals entirely from scratch. His creations are not only original but also captivatingly inspiring and infused with sharp humor. Each production reflects his unique vision, blending artistic depth with accessible entertainment.

It’s an honor to recommend Yuri’s work to anyone seeking content that is original, tasteful, and intelligent. I’m equally honoured to call him my friend.

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Kevin Jacobsen AO

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I have known and worked extensively with Yuri over several decades, beginning in 1982. During this time, we have collaborated on numerous projects for film and television, as well as on many other recording projects. Yuri has earned a considerable track record as a composer in his own right, not only in media, but also for the music-theatre stage. He is a naturally gifted musician, with a wide-ranging skills-set, and given his long career in so many high-profile areas, I have no doubt that his ambitious work ‘The Voice’ will suceed in what it proposes to achieve. Australia has achieved a formidable international reputation for its productions of quality music-theatre productions, but where we arguably fall short is in the creation of new Australian works. With ‘The Voice’, Yuri is proposing a work exploring the migrant experience of his own family, set against the compelling and devastating realities of the current geopolitical situation.

 

I have no doubt that this will be an important addition to our music-theatre repertoire and encourage you to support Yuri.

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Professor Paul Grabowsky AO

Executive Director

Monash University Performing Arts Centres

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Yuri has great skill as a songwriter and has had considerable success in the field of musical theatre. His shows like “Margaret Fulton” and “Illuminati Lizards from Outer Space” demonstrate a highly original capacity infused with genuinely entertaining wit, panache and style. His work as a seasoned film and TV composer inform his natural theatricality and unique sense of the absurd - something sadly lacking in the dreary earnestness of many of the commercial musicals now playing. 
Therefore I believe his work is powerfully communicative and will continue to find an audience. In Australia we do not have the developed milieu of Broadway, with its “angels” and “investors” that allow the time to hone - usually via the “out of town “ seasons - commercial theatre product. 

The commodity most precious to an established artist is genuine time for creative work free from the pressures of the daily exigencies of earning a living - I commend Yuri for consideration for any assistance that may be available to him, he is an important talent and has been an equally important contributor to the Australian music industry for many years. 

Richard Mills

Artistic Director Victorian Opera 
Associate Professor of Music Melbourne University 

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I have known Yuri Worontschak in a professional capacity for 30 years.

We have worked together on numerous projects, most notably on the highly successful Australian sketch comedy program Full Frontal. This spanned 5 years from 1993 to 1997. 

We then collaborated on my own sketch comedy show entitled ‘Eric’ in 1998.

We also worked closely together, with Yuri being our composer on the successful  feature Documentary ‘Love the Beast’ in 2009. 

His experience, skill, professionalism and collaborative manner make him the perfect creative partner. 

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Eric Bana

 

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