Login

Enter your username and password

Photo: Vandeer Toorren

Email:

Andrián Pertout was born in Santiago, Chile, 17 October, 1963, and lived in Gorizia, Northern Italy for several years before finally settling in Melbourne, Australia in 1972. In 2007, he completed a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at the University of Melbourne on Tweddle Trust, Australian Postgraduate and Melbourne Research scholarships, studying composition under the guidance of Brenton Broadstock. He is currently the President of the Melbourne Composers' League (MCL), Member of the Executive Committee of the Asian Composers' League (ACL), Member of the Editorial Board, Eurasian Music Science Journal, The State Conservatory of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan (2022-); and was Australian delegate of the Asian Composers' League (2007-2022); Honorary Fellow at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne (2008-2015), and President of the Melbourne Composers' League (2009-2013, 2017-2021). He is also the International Coordinator of the PUENTE Festival Interoceánico, which is presented yearly in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Valparaíso by the Fundación Orquesta Marga Marga with the participation of Chilean conductor Luis José Recart and the Orquesta Marga Marga (one of the ten professional Chilean orchestras). Pertout is a freelance composer, but additionally works as composition lecturer, teacher, supervisor and examiner at various institutions at Bachelor, Masters and PhD levels. In 2019 and 2024, he was Visiting Professor at Aichi Prefectural University of the Arts (Japan).

As a composer of mixed heritage (Slovenian, Indigenous 'native' Chilean [Inca, Aymara, Mapuche], Spanish, Basque, French, Scandinavian, North African, etc.), Pertout's prolific output is reflected by his recent Opus No. 470 (Dance of the Neutron Stars for Alto Saxophone and Guitar, commissioned by the Japan Federation of Composers in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Japan Federation of Composers and 50th Anniversary of the Asian Composers' League. In 2004, L'assaut sur la raison for Symphony Orchestra, no. 386 (2003) was recognized in the US with the Louisville Orchestra Prize (the first time for a non-American in its 40-year history; awarded to film composer James Horner in 1979), and with the APRA Award for Orchestral Composition. More recently, in 2012 Luz meridional, Twenty-four Études for Pianoforte, no. 411 (2012), which was commissioned by Julian Burnside AO QC and composed for Michael Kieran Harvey as part of a 2009 State Library of Victoria Creative Fellowship was recognized with the prestigious 'Jean Bogan Prize'. Other composition awards include the Boston Metro Opera 'Mainstage Award' (USA), 'John Cage Centennial' Wolf Museum of Music and Art Composition Prize (USA), Friends & Enemies of New Music Composition Prize (USA), International Music Prize for Excellence in Composition (Greece), Dorian Le Gallienne Composition Prize, Betty Amsden Award, Oare String Orchestra Judges' and Audience Prize (UK), Michelle Morrow Memorial Award, and the Zavod Jazz/Classical Fusion Award.

Pertout's music has been performed in more than fifty countries by orchestras, ensembles and performers that include the Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, Orchestra Victoria, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (Japan), The Louisville Orchestra (USA), Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra (Israel), Orquestra Petrobrás Sinfônica (Brazil), Auckland Chamber Orchestra (New Zealand), Orquesta de Cámara Simón Bolívar (Venezuela), Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra (Russia), Uzbekistan National Symphony Orchestra (Uzbekistan), Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de México (Mexico), Vietnam National Opera and Theatre Choir and National Symphony Orchestra (Vietnam), Sun Symphony Orchestra (Vietnam), Orquestra Cia Bachiana Brasileira (Brazil), Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico), Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile (Chile) Orquesta Sinfónica de Concepción and La Serena (Chile), Orquesta Marga Marga (Chile), Orquesta de Cámara de Chile and Valdivia (Chile), Arcko Symphonic Ensemble, Australian Discovery Orchestra, Logos Foundation Robot Orchestra (Belgium), University of Hong Kong Gamelan Orchestra (China), Orquesta Andina PUCV (Chile), La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai (Belgium), Oare String Orchestra (UK), Noah Getz (USA), Phyllis Chen (USA), Michael Kieran Harvey (Australia), Ónix Ensamble (Mexico), Ensamble Contemporáneo (Chile), Ensemble MD7 (Slovenia), Quinteto CEAMC (Argentina), Sonemus Ensemble (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Ensemble TIMF (Korea), Omni Ensemble (USA), and the Ensemble für Neue Musik Zürich (Switzerland).

He has received numerous commissions, including orchestral works commissioned by the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar (Venezuela), Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Chile (Chile) Tatarstan National Symphony Orchestra (Russia), American Harp Society, Inc. New York, NY (USA), Swiss/Chilean conductor Rodolfo Fischer (Switzerland), and Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate, and author Julian Burnside AO QC. Film Music commissions include works that have been written to accompany over thirty documentary and short films, television programs, as well as commercials, computer games and stage productions.

As a writer, Pertout has published over 400 articles in music publications such as Mixdown, Spanish Herald, Australian Musician, and the Sunday Herald Sun. His articles range from reviews of new musical technology, compact disc and book releases to interviews with prominent national and international artists, including Herbie Hancock, Steve Reich, Joe Satriani, Rick Wakeman and José Feliciano.

Andrián Pertout — current to May 2025