Matt Ottley

Matt Ottley is an acclaimed and multiple award-winning author and illustrator. His most recent picture book, How to make a bird (with Meg McKinlay), was the winner of the CBCA's Picture Book of the Year Award and joint winner of the Prime Minister's Award for Children's Literature.

As a composer, and an Endorsed Yamaha musician, Matt has written scores for many of his picture books, which have been performed by orchestras and musicians across Australia and internationally as part of his Sound of Picture Books initiative.

His new release picture book for adults/young-adults, The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness, is a groundbreaking, large-scale multi-modal project weaving together the worlds of literature, music and visual art in the poignant story of one boy's journey into mental illness and contains a 50-minute symphonic work for full orchestra and 40 voice choir.