Sony/ATV’s Damian Trotter joins Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation board

PRESS RELEASE:

The Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation has announced the expansion of its board today, as Gurrumul himself starts the cleanup of his Elcho Island home, after the community of Galiwin’ku bore the brunt of category four cyclone Lam last week. 

Sheltering in Galiwin’ku at the time, Gurrumul is pleased to report that he and his family are safe, despite extensive damage including over sixty homes which are now deemed uninhabitable. 

During the eventful week, the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation also appointed new board member Damian Trotter. As the current Managing Director of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Director and former Chairperson of the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society Limited (AMCOS); Director at the Australian Performing Rights Association (APRA); Director of the Australasian Music Publishers Association Limited (AMPAL); and Patron of the Australian Music Prize (AMP), Damian brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the board of the Gurrumul Foundation. 

With a career in the music industry spanning decades, Damian has worked closely with Gurrumul Yunupingu and an array of remote Indigenous musicians to help build and support their careers, taking their music to national and international audiences. 

 “I am very pleased and excited to be joining the board of the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation and humbled to have been extended the invitation by Gurrumul, Mark Grose and Michael Hohnen,” said Damian Trotter. “Having spent time in several remote indigenous communities, I have witnessed first-hand the extreme challenges and disadvantage affecting so many people living in these communities. I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members to help identify and directly address areas in which the Foundation can play an active and realistic role in meeting some of these challenges.” 

The Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation has been growing steadily since its inception in 2013 with former Australian of the Year Fiona Stanley joining its board last year and successful projects such as Barunga Beats, the Barunga Kids Circus Project and the Young Women’s Self Esteem Project already being undertaken.