Biography

Born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1977, Simon is a conductor, composer and trumpet player. He graduated from the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music in 1998, majoring in composition.

As a conductor, Simon is passionate about the performance of new music - especially Tasmanian music. He has conducted the premiere performances of over 100 new works by Tasmanian composers, as well as reviving many important Tasmanian compositions. Tasmanian born or based composers he has championed include Simon Barber, Joe Cook, Angus Davison, Claire Farrell, Dominic Flynn, Russell Gilmour, Karlin Greenstreet-Love, Don Kay, Scott McIntyre, Thomas Misson, Ron Nagorka, Joseph Richards, Dylan Sheridan, Jitrin Sirichang and Michael Young. Upcoming premieres of Tasmanian works include the premiere of Don Kay and John Honey’s cantata Conflagration, as part of the 2021 Festival of Voices and the premiere of Maria Grenfell’s new work for Hobart Wind Symphony, as part of the 2021 ASME National Conference in September.

Simon has a special affinity with the work of Tasmanian Icon, Don Kay.  He has premiered dozens of Kay’s works as conductor or instrumentalist, with highlights including the premiere of Symphony 3 in 2011 and Symphony 4 in 2021. In November 2014 he premiered Kay's opera, The Bushranger's Lover to great critical acclaim.  He has also revived a number of important works by Kay, including Northward the Strait at the 2009 Intervarsity Choral Festival and in 2014 he conducted the concert premiere of the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, with Michael Kieran Harvey as soloist.

Simon has been the Musical Director of Hobart City Band Inc. since 1997 and is the conductor of the Hobart Wind Symphony, who he led to the 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017 National 'A' Grade Concert Band titles. Since 2014 the Wind Symphony have presented an annual workshop for composers, presenting works by over 20 composers from across Australia.  In October of 2020 he took up the role of conductor with Glenorchy City Concert Brass, having previously worked with them at national contests in 2017 and 2019. In March of 2020 he took on the position of conductor with the Conservatorium Orchestra and in 2021 added the UTAS Wind Ensemble to his growing association with the University of Tasmania.

He is a respected freelance conductor having worked extensively for the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra in the years 2005-2012, 2016-2020. In June 2019 he was guest Chorus Master of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus for their performance of Riceboy Sleeps as part of Dark MOFO. In November 2020, conducted the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for the Composing Women workshop and in March 2021 he again worked with the TSO, workshopping new works by Angus Davison and Benjamin Cannings.  In 2016 he began presenting concerts with Michael Kieran Harvey under the title Forum, premiering Concerti for Piano and Chamber Orchestra by Scott McIntyre, Andrián Pertout, Colin Spiers and Don Kay, alongside a great array of other new music.

Very involved in community music, he has conducted most community bands and orchestras in Hobart over the past two decades, including as the conductor of the Tasmania University Musical Society (2001-2009) and founding Music Director of the Hobart Theatre Summer School (2005-2012). Simon is a past President of the Tasmanian Band's League (2013-2016) and in 2019 was one of the four finalists in the 2020 Australian of the Year Awards, Local Hero Category (Tasmania).

Simon completed his Bachelor of Education in 2005, having worked for the Tasmanian Department of Education since 2000.  He is currently employed as a Brass/Woodwind specialist teacher and conductor at Bellerive, Howrah, Ogilvie, Sorell and South Hobart schools.

Simon is an accomplished Trumpet player.  Most recently he has performed in recital with pianist, Michael Kieran Harvey, premiering works by Harvey and Barber. In May 2019 he gave the world premiere of Don Kay's Concerto for Trumpet with Winds and Percussion, accompanied by his Hobart Wind Symphony. He won the Open Trumpet section at the 2010 Australian National Band Championships, and from 2003-2011 was principal Cornet with the Hobart Brass Band.

Simon is also a composer, having filled commissions from the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra, the Festival of Voices (Tasmania), IHOS opera, the Hobart Chamber Orchestra, the Derwent Valley Band and the Tasmanian Composer's Festival, amongst others. His music has been performed by such eminent performers as; Michael Kieran Harvey, Jabra Latham, Diego Campagna, Maurizio Barbetti, Duo Porto-Frontini, Luca Ferrini & Joze Kotar, Benjamin Price and Dr Matthew van Emmerik. He has music for band published through Brolga Music Australia, selected chamber works through Musicisti Associati Produzioni of Milan, and he has over 40 of his works represented at the Australian Music Centre.

He lives in Campania, just out of Hobart, with his wife Claire and sons Owen, Callum and Elliott.