“Good copy is powerful. Never underestimate its weight. Good copy is as descriptive as it is concise; it tells the story, brands the product, and sets history in stone. Good copy wins hearts” – Lucy Rash
CutCommon is Australia’s largest online publication for the young classical musician. Founded in 2014, CutCommon boasts an editorial team of writers who have years of professional experience across major media and arts organisations. Find out more.
If you are an individual, small group, or large organisation interested in high quality copy or brand auditing for your projects or website, get in touch with us today using the contact form below or through editor@cutcommon.com.
Who are we?
LUCY RASH
DEPUTY EDITOR, MENTOR
Lucy is a musician, writer, and community arts advocate; a lover of all things collaborative, creative, and aesthetically pleasing. Following her formative training in Art History, Sociology and Musicology, Lucy worked at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music managing community partnerships between the University of Melbourne, the Smith Family, and regional Victorian schools before joining the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s administration team in 2012. Lucy is currently employed as Education Manager at the MSO where she is responsible for the programming, development, and management of the orchestra’s work with schools, families, and life-long learners. An experienced multi-instrumentalist, Lucy maintains an active role in the Australian music scene. She is a classically trained violinist, a session player for many of Melbourne’s top bands, a member of indie three-piece, Forest Falls, and her written work has bolstered many a band’s press kit. Lucy regularly presents pre- and post-concert talks for the MSO and, most recently, for the Australian Chamber Orchestra. When she’s not doing any of the above, Lucy is likely hanging out with her “perfect, silky soft” three-year-old whippet, Turbo.
STEPHANIE ESLAKE
FOUNDER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, MENTOR
Stephanie Eslake founded CutCommon in 2014 with the vision to create an inclusive community for arts practitioners in Australia. It awarded her the City of Hobart Australia Day 2017 Young Citizen of the Year Award for her “community contribution by creating an online promotional and educational network for young Australian classical musicians”. She is also the inaugural 2017 Kill Your Darlings New Critic Award winner, won the 2018 Tasmanian Young Achiever Awards Arts and Fashion prize (semi-finalist in 2016 and finalist in 2017), and was shortlisted for the 2017 Kat Muscat Fellowship. In 2021, she received an Arts Tasmania grant to produce a new book for arts practitioners (A Writer’s Guide to the Arts), which is currently underway.
Stephanie has attended the Australian Youth Orchestra Words About Music program, and graduated from the University of Tasmania with degrees in media, music, and sociology. She also has certificates in broadcast and business. You may have read Stephanie’s journalism in The Guardian, Meanjin, The Mercury, TasWeekend, SBS (Life), Limelight Magazine, Junkee, The Music, Crikey, ArtsHub (ArtsHub UK, ScreenHub), Aphra Magazine, The Courier Mail, The Daily Telegraph and RendezView, Adelaide Now, Young Opportunities Australia, Perth Now, The Herald Sun, and Warp Magazine; the latter of which she has also worked as subeditor, and is now reviews curator. Stephanie also writes academic course content in writing, editing, design, and entrepreneur subject areas for educational institution Foundry (partners: University of Tasmania, Swinburne University of Technology); and educational course scripts for Canva.
The writer co-founded Upbeat Monthly News for the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music, has written program notes for Musica Viva and the Queensland and Tasmanian symphony orchestras, hosted features on Edge Radio 99.3 and ABC Classic FM, and worked in live broadcast production. In 2015, she spent time as acting editor and lead writer for The Mercury‘s music publication Pulse.
The classical saxophonist tutors woodwind, worked as co-editor and publications mentor for Hobart City Council’s Platform youth arts and culture magazine, and was part of the Making Waves’ Making Conversation interview team. She is also a grants assessment panellist on the Tasmanian Department of State Growth’s Cultural and Creative Industries Expert Register, and was selected for the ARIA Awards Voting Academy, APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards judging panel, and Australian Women in Music Awards Juror Council.