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Photo: Andrew Castles

Born in Launceston, Tasmania in 1977, Simon is a conductor, composer and trumpet player. He graduated from the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music in 1998, majoring in composition. He then completed a Bachelor of Education in 2005 and is currently employed as a Brass/Woodwind specialist teacher and conductor at Ogilvie, Bellerive, Howrah, South Hobart and Sorell schools.

As a conductor, Simon is passionate about the performance of new music - and especially Tasmanian music. He has conducted the premiere performances of over 100 new works by Tasmanian composers, as well as reviving many important Tasmanian compositions. He has premiered several important works of Don Kay as well as most of the large ensemble works by Simon Barber. In February 2014 he conducted premiere performances of Barber and Kay's Piano Concertos with Michael Kieran Harvey as soloist. In November 2014 he premiered Kay's opera, The Bushranger's Lover to great critical acclaim. Since 2014 his Hobart Wind Symphony have presented an annual workshop for composers, presenting works by over 20 composers from across Australia. In 2016 he began presenting concerts with Michael Kieran Harvey under the title Forum, premiering Concerti for Piano and Chamber Orchestra by Scott McIntyre, Andrián Pertout, Colin Spiers and Don Kay, alongside a great array of other new music. Prior to Covid-19 he had been preparing the world premiere of Don Kay's Symphony 4 with the Hobart Chamber Orchestra, which, it is hoped, will be rescheduled for March 2021.

Simon has been the Musical Director of Hobart City Band Inc. since 1997 and is the conductor of the Hobart Wind Symphony, who he led to the 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2017 National 'A' Grade Concert Band titles. In 2020 he took on the position of conductor with the Tasmanian Conservatorium Orchestra and in October of 2020 he will take up the role of conductor with Glenorchy City Concert Brass, having previously worked with them at contests in 2017 and 2019.

He is a respected freelance conductor having worked extensively for the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra in the years 2005-2012, 2016-2020. In June 2019 he was guest Chorus Master for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus for their performance of Riceboy Sleeps as part of Dark MOFO. In November 2020 he will conduct the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for the 'Composing Women' workshop.

Very involved in community music, he has conducted most community bands and orchestras in Hobart over the past two decades including as the conductor of the Tasmania University Musical Society (2001-2009) and founding Music Director of the Hobart Theatre Summer School (2005-2012). Simon is a past President of the Tasmanian Band's League (2013-2016) and in 2019 was one of the four finalists in the 2020 Australian of the Year Awards, Local Hero Category (Tasmania).

Simon was accepted into the Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program in 2014/15, completing modules with Christopher Seaman and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Eckehard Stier and the Auckland Philharmonia, and Johannes Fritzsch and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra

Simon is an accomplished Trumpet player. He was principal Cornet of the Hobart Brass Band (2003-2011), Band Leader/Lead Trumpet of the Hobart City Swing Band (2001-2015) and has performed on several occasions as guest soloist with his Hobart Wind Symphony, including a performance of Lendvay's Senza Sordino under the baton of renowned Hungarian conductor Laszlo Marosi. He has also performed recitals with Michael Kieran Harvey, premiering works by Harvey and Barber. In May 2019 he gave the world premiere of Don Kay's Concerto for Trumpet with Winds and Percussion.

Simon is also a Composer, having 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 over 40 of his works represented at the Australian Music Centre. A selection of his works and performances are available to view on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfY3a345tWjAWjOdi-SkTKQ

He lives in Campania, just out of Hobart, with his wife Claire and sons Owen, Callum and Elliott.

Simon Reade — current to October 2020