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Photo: Emily Granger

Tristan Coelho is a 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 conversely, our digital, data-driven world.

Recent project highlights include read/write error, a commission for Ensemble Offspring's 20th year celebrations and finalist in the APRA Art Music Awards; Smell of the Earth, commissioned for the Canberra International Music Festival performed by Tambuco Percussion; and Rhythm City, for piano, live video sampler and electronics toured by Zubin Kanga in 2019. He has had works performed around Australia and internationally, and has appeared at the Young Composers Meeting hosted by Orkest de Ereprijs, the Dartington International Summer School, Etchings Festival, Oz Asia Festival, Tilde Festival and the NYU/ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop.

Tristan's experience in music for film and multimedia is diverse including a recently completed score for Australian feature film The Marshes and numerous short films and advertising campaigns. His orchestration and arrangement credits include work for Japanese video game composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, Australian composer Matthew Hindson, oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.

Tristan graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2006 with the University Medal and 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 amongst others and piano with Stephanie McCallum.

As an active music educator, Tristan has written works for student ensembles and leads creative music workshops across Sydney. His APRA Art Music Fund-supported work, Daybreak for flute and electronics formed part of the Other Voices project spearheaded by flautist Lamorna Nightingale. Educational resources were developed around the work for secondary schools supported by a grant from the NSW government.

In his role as Head of Composition at Sydney's MLC School, Tristan has been the artistic director of four Australian Music Day events which bring together schools and ensembles from across NSW for creative composition workshops.

Tristan Coelho — current to July 2019