Adelaide City of Music is proud to announce that the 2024 UNESCO Adelaide City of Music International Collaboration Award goes to Dr Oliver Fartach-Naini in recognition for his tireless work building creative and professional relationships with South Korea, especially Seoul and Tonyeong, both UNESCO Cities of Music.
Dr Oliver Fartach-Naini is an exceptionally versatile guitarist with a wide range of publications, international performances and collaborations to his credit. Labelled a ‘musician of the very top order’ by The Australian and ‘an essential conduit for some of today’s best music’ by Fanfare magazine in the US, he relocated from Berlin to Adelaide in 2005 where he is senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium of Music.
Daegu and Tongyeong are important Cities of Music and good friends to Adelaide and Dr Fartach-Naini’s work over the years has built relationships and created opportunities for many South Australian musicians and students and the tip of the ice berg in regards to potential opportunities the UNESCO Creative Cities Network represents.
2024 ACOM International Collaboration Award winner, Dr Fartach-Naini.
Dr Fartach-Naini began his contact with South Korea in his student days in Berlin when he formed a duo with his fellow student Li Song-Ou, who now resides in Daegu. Over the decades they have performed together many times in South Korea and Australia and released several highly acclaimed albums, and also doing much to promote the music of many Australian, and especially, Adelaide composers.
Congratulating Dr Fartach-Naini, winner of the 2025 UNESCO Adelaide City of Music International Collaboration Award.
Dr Fartach-Naini, ACOM GM Joe Hay and 2023 ACOM International Collaboration Award winner, Adam Page.