Born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1977, Simon Reade is a conductor, composer, educator and trumpet player. Simon is passionate about the performance of new music and has given the world premiere of over 100 new works by Tasmanian composers, many of these with the Hobart Wind Symphony, which he has directed for over 25 years. Simon also directs both the large ensembles at the University of Tasmania, conducts Tasmania's only A grade Brass Band for Glenorchy City Brass, as well as working freelance with professional and community organisations, including the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. He is a fully represented composer at the Australian Music Centre and in 2022 was awarded the APRA/AMCOS State Luminary Award for Tasmania, for his sustained contribution as a conductor and the promotion of Australian Music.
Simon is very committed to the creation of new music and has particularly championed the music of over 25 Tasmanian composers. He has a special affinity with the work of Don Kay and premiered dozens of Kay's works including; Symphony 3 (2011), Concerto for Piano and Small Orchestra (2017), Concerto for Trumpet, Winds and Percussion (as soloist/conductor, 2019) and Symphony 4 (2021). He gave the concert premiere of Kay's opera, The Bushranger's Lover to great critical acclaim (2014) and the premiere of the bushfires cantata, Conflagration, as part of the Festival of Voices (2021). Simon has revived a number of Kay's earlier works, including Northward the Strait at the Intervarsity Choral Festival (2009) and gave the concert premiere of 1992's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, with Michael Kieran Harvey (2014).
As a composer Simon has 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 full representation at the Australian Music Centre. His most recent work is a piano solo for respected pianist, Vanessa Sharman to be premiered in February 2025. He lives in Campania, just out of Hobart, with his wife Claire and sons Owen, Callum and Elliott.
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Federation Concert Hall, 1 Davey Street,
Nipaluna / Hobart,
Lutruwita / TAS 7000, Australia
GPO Box 1450 Nipaluna / Hobart,
Lutruwita / TAS 7001, Australia
TSO Box Office
10am–4pm Monday to Friday
1800 001 190 — boxoffice@tso.com.au
Located in the Hotel Grand Chancellor foyer
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The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra acknowledges the traditional owners and continuing custodians of lutruwita / Tasmania. We pay respect to the Aboriginal community today, and to its Elders past and present. We recognise a history of truth, which acknowledges the impacts of colonisation upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and stand for a future that profoundly respects their stories, culture, language and history.
