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Photo: Emily Granger

Tristan Coelho is an award-winning Sydney-based composer who specialises in concert music and film projects. His music draws inspiration largely from either nature, especially the idea of amplifying otherwise soft and delicate sounds, or our digital, data-driven world.

Project highlights include Rhythm City, for piano, live video sampler and electronics toured by Zubin Kanga in 2019; Smell of the Earth, commissioned for the Canberra International Music Festival and performed by Tambuco Percussion; read/write error, commissioned by Ensemble Offspring and finalist in the APRA Art Music Awards, and an interactive music soundscape walk inspired by the local surrounds of Mount Wilson in the Blue Mountains. He has had works performed around Australia and internationally including at Young Composers Meeting hosted by Orkest de Ereprijs, the Dartington International Summer School, Etchings Festival, Oz Asia Festival, Tilde Festival, Metropolis New Music Festival, Canberra International Music Festival, and the NYU/ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop.

Tristan also works in the area of music for film, visual media and dance and recently completed the score for the Australian feature film, The Marshes. His orchestration and arrangement credits include work for Japanese video game composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, Australian composers Matthew Hindson and Brenda Gifford, oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros, Sydney Dance Company and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.

Tristan graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2006 with the University Medal and then went on to study at the Royal College of Music from 2007-2008 on a full scholarship. He has studied composition formally with Michael Smetanin, Damien Ricketson, Mary Finsterer, Trevor Pearce and David Sawer among others, and piano with Stephanie McCallum.

As an active music educator, Tristan has written numerous works for student ensembles and runs creative music workshops around Sydney. He has recently completed a new music education project in collaboration with flautist Lamorna Nightingale entitled Other Voices. The project is funded by the APRA Art Music Fund and the NSW Government and is designed to enhance students' composition, songwriting and music technology skills.

Tristan Coelho — current to December 2020