AN artist commissioned by the Centenary of Canberra has been awarded the Australia Council’s Don Banks Music Award for 2012.

Recognising an outstanding contribution to Australian music, contemporary composer Jon Rose was presented with the national award during a ceremony at the Museum of Western Australia.

Centenary of Canberra creative director Robyn Archer said she was proud to have Rose as part of the celebrations.

“This kind of exchange has the potential to inspire, invigorate and benefit the local cultural landscape for years to come, and it’s exactly what we want from Centenary projects,” she said.

Rose’s  involvement in the Centenary will see him rallying both bike and music enthusiasts to get involved in The Canberra Pursuit, a contemporary musical performance featuring converted bikes.

“SPIN will bring together bicycles, trail bikes, motorcycles, caravans, rollerblades, skateboards and so much more in a celebration of wheels and everything that spins; and Jon’s clever work in creating bicycle powered instruments will play a large role,” Ms Archer said.

Rose is a primarily self-taught musician whose contribution to Australia comes through his innovative experiments using instrument design and instrumental techniques, including creating a range of previously unimagined instruments, such as the 19-string cello and the bicycle-powered double violin.