NEW SOUTH WALES PUBLIC SCHOOLS SYMPHONIC WIND ENSEMBLE

Performer Details

Performer Bio Synopsis

The NSW Public Schools Symphonic Wind Ensemble has established a national and international reputation as being one of the finest of its kind in Australia. The ensemble has a long and proud history of success in premier divisions at state and national level competitions and festivals. SWE, as it is affectionately known, has toured many times internationally over the last decade peferming in some of the world's greatest concert halls across Europe and the USA. This is the second occasion SWE has been invited to perform at the Midwest Clinic, having performed to critical acclaim in 2007. The group has been fortunate to have performed with some of the world’s most influential conductors, composers and solo instrumentalists. These include Rex Richardson, David Elton (Trumpet) Steve Rosse Sergio Carolino (Tuba) Steven Mead (Euphonium) and conductors Dr Glenn Price and Professor Larry Curtis. This year the group performed the world premier of James Stephenson's Concerto for Trumpet and Tuba entitled "Hanging by a Thread" at the Sydney International Brass Festival. The NSW Public Schools Symphonic Wind Ensemble is very excited and honoured to be selected again to perform at The Midwest Clinic in December 2014. We are very much looking forward to performing with our guest conductors Dr Mallory Thompson and Dr Dennis Johnson and our Trumpet soloist Mr Thomas Hooten, Principal Trumpet, Los Angeles Philharmonic. The NSW Public Schools Symphonic Wind Ensemble and their conductors Mr Stephen Williams and Mr Jason Isaac.

NEW SOUTH WALES PUBLIC SCHOOLS SYMPHONIC WIND ENSEMBLE

Conductor's Bio

Stephen Williams has established himself as one of Australia’s most versatile conductors, distinguishing himself with an impressive record of achievement in a variety of musical settings. In addition to conducting most of Australia's professional symphony orchestras for Symphony Services International he has conducted, recorded and toured with many of Australia’s finest symphonic bands and jazz ensembles. He has directed and performed with Australian groups at the North Sea, Montreux, Edinburgh and Monterey Jazz Festivals, has conducted concerts in Carnegie Hall and taken Australian orchestras, symphonic bands and jazz ensembles to conferences in the U.S.A, Japan, Europe, the U.K, Singapore and China. In 1989 Stephen was awarded a conducting scholarship by Symphony Australia and for three years studied orchestral conducting under Werner Andreas Albert, during which time he conducted concerts and made recordings with many of the Symphony Australia Orchestras. In 1994 he was awarded the Harry Begian Conducting Scholarship, which enabled him to study advanced Symphonic Band conducting at the University of Illinois under Professor James Keene. In 1995 he was awarded a Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting and Research from the University of Queensland. Stephen is currently Chief Conductor Instrumental for The Arts Unit, a specialist unit in the N.S.W Department of Education & Communities, taking up this position at the beginning of 1999. He is the musical director for the NSW Schools Spectacular, the world’s biggest variety show and has been since 1991. He also is the founding Musical Director of the Northern Beaches Symphony Orchestra. Prior to this Stephen had a full time position as conducting coordinator for the School of Instrumental Music in Perth. He was also a member of staff at the W.A Conservatorium of Music, Edith Cowan University, lecturing and conducting in the Classical, Jazz and Education departments. Between 1992 and 1995, Stephen was a full time member of staff at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, occupying the position of Director of the Wind Symphony as well as lecturing in Conducting, Instrumental Pedagogy and Jazz studies. Over the last ten years he has been a conductor in concerts and on many tours with Orchestra Victoria (one of two professional orchestras in Melbourne). He is the chief conductor for their innovative education program ‘On the mOVe’, a program which allows students in country regions to be tutored and mentored by Orchestra Victoria players in two-day workshops. For several years he was also engaged by Symphony Services International to present and conduct concerts for schools with the Sydney Sinfonia. Stephen also works as a freelance conductor and instrumental consultant and is frequently called upon to lecture, conduct clinics and adjudicate both in Australia and overseas.