Pianist, composer and educator Tony Gould has received many accolades for his contribution to music In Australia, some of the most recent being induction into the Bell Awards Qantas Hall of Fame, the prestigious Don Banks Award from the Australia Council for the Arts, and in 2008 an Order of Australia (AM).
He has performed with many internationally renowned artists including Clark Terry, Mark Murphy, Ernestine Anderson, Ronnie Scott, David Jones, Don Burrows, John Sangster, Graeme Lyall, John Hoffman, Bobby Shew, Barry Tuckwell, and with Ensemble Liaison. He has been guest artist with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and appeared as associate artist with the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan, the LA Four and many others.
Among a long list of recordings (which include many of his own works from quartet to large orchestral pieces, embracing both classical music and African American genres) is an album of Australian poetry and music with the renowned Australian actor John Stanton. Gould also wrote the music for and collaborated with Stanton in a concert performance of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milkwood, and in 2009 wrote music for and performed in Stanton’s highly acclaimed theatre piece, And When He Falls. In April 1996 he released a CD trilogy of original music, compositions across a wide spectrum of musical genres, including works for concert and film.
His CD River Story, with guitarist Peter Petrucci, received an ARIA Award nomination as did his earlier Concerto for Saxophones and Orchestra titled The Subtlety of Time. Gould and Petrucci received a Playing Australia grant 2001 and have recorded a second CD titled From Within, another with the brilliant trumpeter Keith Hounslow McJad Goes Organic (Church Organ and Trumpet,) two CDs with the brilliant young Australian singer, Emma Gilmartin, titled Tomorrow Just You Wait and See and Home, and as solo artist with John Hoffman’s orchestra on the recording titled Pianamente. The trio Manins, Gould and Jones have recently released two CDs to wide acclaim, Under the Tall Trees and The Cello and the Mockingbird.
His solo piano recording on ABC Classics titled At the End of the Day was released in 2005, and in 2008 a CD with the eminent American composer/pianist David Ward-Steinman, with original works, and two major compositions for two pianos by John Lewis (Modern Jazz Quartet) and the French pianist/composer Martial Solal.
He has the uncommon distinction of having degrees from three of Melbourne's most prestigious universities: a Bachelor of Music from the University of Melbourne, a Master of Arts from Monash University and a Doctor of Philosophy from La Trobe University. His career embraces performances of a wide cross-section of music throughout Australia and the world as well as composition, arranging, conducting, teaching, music criticism, contributions to literature (Groves, Oxford Companion) and adjudicating on international judging panels. He was chief music critic for the Herald Sun for 20 years, and has served on the Music Board, Australia Council for the Arts.
In early 2005 Tony resigned his position as Head (Dean) of and Associate Professor at the School of Music, Victorian College of the Arts to pursue his performance and composition career. In 2006 he recorded for Move Records the two piano version of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring”, with Australian pianist Rosa Scaffidi. His two latest two CD have been a duo with saxophonist Rob Burke and the second with the Burke/Gould quartet.
Gould has just completed two books, as part of the commitment to a Fellowship awarded by the Australia Council for the Arts: Essays on Music and Musicians in Australia, and The Art of Musical Improvisation: Thoughts and Ideas. His latest compositions include a solo piece for renowned pianist Michael Kieran Harvey, and a piano trio for the outstanding chamber group Ensemble Liaison.
He has just been appointed Professor at Monash University’s School of Music.