Brett Dean

Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University alumnus Brett Dean is an award-winning, internationally renowned and illustrious composer, conductor and violist.

In the mid-80s, at just 23-years-old, the Conservatorium graduate successfully auditioned for the prestigious Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra’s viola section, a post Mr Dean then held for almost 15 years before embarking on a successful career as soloist and composer.

Born in Brisbane to a musical family – Mr Dean’s grandmother was an orchestral violinist, his mother a church musician and his brothers also went on to become professional musicians – Brett played violin and viola from a young age.

It was the latter that Mr Dean studied at the Conservatorium, where he founded a string quartet and was awarded the 1982 Medal for Excellence.

“It was a pivotal time in an inspiring environment,” Mr Dean said of his undergraduate studies.

Later in his 20s, Mr Dean began experimenting with composition in earnest, writing and performing for experimental film and radio projects.

It was Mr Dean’s 1995-1998 works, Ariel’s Music for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Carlo for the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the ballet score One of a Kind for the Nederlands Dans Theater that garnered international attention.

Many and various composition commissions from preeminent European and Australian orchestras, opera companies and festivals followed. Today, more than 20 years on, Mr Dean’s extensive body of work is performed the world over.

Over the course of his career, Mr Dean has been bestowed some high-profile honorifics. Among the accolades are the 2009 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition, the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers' "Selected Work", the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Centre’s Stoeger Prize, the Don Banks Music Award of the Australia Council, International Opera Award for Best New Opera and an Honorary Doctorate from Griffith University.

Mr Dean lists some of his conducting highlights as the Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney Symphony Orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, the BBC Symphony and BBC Philharmonic Orchestras and the Gothenburg Symphony, to name just a few.

Now based out of the UK, Mr Dean maintains a busy performing and conducting schedule. He is regularly asked to perform his own Viola Concerto with significant orchestras, having given over fifty performances of it around the world .

“I certainly intended to give myself something that I personally enjoy playing in terms of challenge, expression and virtuosity,” he said.

“In writing music, I aim to engage performers as much as audiences. This piece puts that to the test in a very personal way!”

As well as performing and conducting, Mr Dean is currently composer in residence with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de Lyon. He’s also artist in residence at the Swedish Chamber Orchestra.

Throughout it all, Mr Dean has maintained his connection to the Conservatorium over the years through guest performing, teaching and mentoring. He was also a proud Conservatorium parent during the time his two daughters took part in Young Conservatorium activities from 2000-2003.