MADBS Composing Palace is run by multi-instrumentalists and composers Maria Alfonsine and Damian de Boos-Smith where they compose, record and produce soundtracks and songs for stage, screen and commercial work. The foundation of their work is exploring the multitude of instruments they have in the palace, creating everything from unique acoustic tracks to lush orchestrations and gritty punk, often including intriguing sound layers of project-specific objects, always with the story at heart.
Maria and Damian most recently performed in and composed for Ensemble Theatre’s production of Master Class, a play about legendary opera singer Maria Callas.
MARIA ALFONSINE
Swedish-Australian composer, songwriter, musical director, and performer, Maria Alfonsine received two APRA nominations “Best Music for a Television Series" and “Best Television Theme”, and an ARIA nomination “Best Soundtrack Album” for ABC TV series WAKEFIELD, for which she was both co-composer and musical director.
She performed her score on clarinet for Sydney Theatre Company’s THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT in the Roslyn Packer Theatre starring Sigrid Thornton, Gareth Davies and Charles Wu, directed by Paige Rattray.
In 2023 she again performed in and music directed Hilary Bell and Greta Gertler Gold’s children’s musical ALPHABETICAL SYDNEY: ALL ABOARD!, directed by Liesel Badorrek at the Sydney Opera House. Other recent composing work includes Australian feature film AKONI for which Maria’s score also received an ARIA nomination, and music theatre productions with Hilary Bell: TAKE TWO: A COMEDY OF ERRORS (Riverside Theatres) and THE HYPOCHONDRIAC (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), and advertisements including AMAZON, AMERICAN EXPRESS and SPECSAVERS.
DAMIAN DE BOOS-SMITH
Multi-instrumentalist and composer, Damian de Boos-Smith received “Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia” APRA nominations in both 2022 and 2017, and a 2021 ARIA nomination for “Best Soundtrack Album” for ABC series WAKEFIELD, on which he was the featured cellist.
Damian has a long history composing for prime time TV shows and advertising. Some of his credits include THE BLOCK, THE FORCE, MY KITCHEN RULES and LEGO MASTERS, and TV advertising music including clients AMAZON, NRL, AFL, TELSTRA, QANTAS, FEDEX, WRIGLEYS, MCDONALDS, PEPSI, LG, TOYOTA, FORD, WESTFIELD and ING. He has proudly shredded guitar on feature film scores HAPPY FEET 2, LEGO BATMAN and PETER RABBIT. Together with Jay Stewart, he composed the Channel 7 News Theme, the main sting being composed by John Williams.
Damian has performed live extensively, including as a pit musician for THE LION KING, CHICAGO, GREASE the ARENA SPECTACULAR and WE WILL ROCK YOU. He is the co-founder, cellist and guitarist for contemporary flamenco group Arrebato Ensemble who toured Australia with Musica Viva’s Concert Series.
MADBS AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
Nomination, 2022 APRA AMCOS Screen Music Awards “Most Performed Screen Composer - Australia”
Nomination, 2022 ARIA Awards “Best Soundtrack Album” - Akoni (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) with Itunu Pepper
Nomination, 2021 APRA AMCOS Screen Music Awards “Best Music for a Television Series" - Wakefield (with Caitlin Yeo)
Nomination, 2021 APRA AMCOS Screen Music Awards “Best Television Theme" - Wakefield
Nomination, 2021 ARIA Awards “Best Soundtrack Album” - Wakefield Season One Official Soundtrack (with Caitlin Yeo)
Nomination, 2017 APRA AMCOS Screen Music Awards “Most Performed Screen Composer - Australia”
