Tahu Matheson
Encyclopedia
Tahu John Parke Matheson (born 1977) is an Australian classical pianist
and conductor. He was born in London
, but grew up in Australia
. He currently resides in London.
, and with Oleg Stepanov and Natasha Vlassenko at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music
, where he completed his Master of Music.
In 1995 Tahu won the Queensland Piano Competition and made his professional debut in 1996 with a solo recital at the New Zealand
International Festival of the Arts. He performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
in 1997 and was invited to record by Kiwi-Pacific Records. Tahu has also performed widely in Australia, both with the Orchestras and solo, and has toured Australia for Musica Viva. Tahu was also awarded the Hilda Woolmer Prize for Best Piano Accompaniment and is a recipient of the Brisbane Club award for 2000.
Tahu has also toured for Chamber Music New Zealand, and has been broadcast on New Zealand and Australian radio and television.
Tahu is a member of Fusion Piano Duo with Lana Higson.
with the Southern Cross Soloists
At the end of 2005 he was invited to London to conduct a new opera "Nelson" for the Trafalgar Bicentenary, featuring Jeffrey Black
in the title role.
Tahu also conducted The Australian Amadeus Players (Mozart Symphonies 40 & 41) in the opening concert for the 2006 4MBS
Festival of Classics.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and conductor. He was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, but grew up in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He currently resides in London.
Piano
Tahu began his piano studies at the age of 5 with his father, international conductor John Matheson. He has studied piano with Kalle Randalu in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and with Oleg Stepanov and Natasha Vlassenko at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music
Queensland Conservatorium of Music
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University was originally an independent tertiary-level institution, called the Queensland Conservatorium of Music.-History:...
, where he completed his Master of Music.
In 1995 Tahu won the Queensland Piano Competition and made his professional debut in 1996 with a solo recital at the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
International Festival of the Arts. He performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
in 1997 and was invited to record by Kiwi-Pacific Records. Tahu has also performed widely in Australia, both with the Orchestras and solo, and has toured Australia for Musica Viva. Tahu was also awarded the Hilda Woolmer Prize for Best Piano Accompaniment and is a recipient of the Brisbane Club award for 2000.
Tahu has also toured for Chamber Music New Zealand, and has been broadcast on New Zealand and Australian radio and television.
Tahu is a member of Fusion Piano Duo with Lana Higson.
Conducting
Tahu made his conducting debut in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
with the Southern Cross Soloists
At the end of 2005 he was invited to London to conduct a new opera "Nelson" for the Trafalgar Bicentenary, featuring Jeffrey Black
Jeffrey Black
Jeffrey Black , is an internationally acclaimed opera singer. He studied singing at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, and appeared in many of the operas staged by the Conservatorium students and post-graduate students, including appearing in the role of "Figaro", as a First year Opera...
in the title role.
Tahu also conducted The Australian Amadeus Players (Mozart Symphonies 40 & 41) in the opening concert for the 2006 4MBS
4MBS
4MBS Classic FM is a Brisbane community radio station that broadcasts classical music, jazz and nostalgia throughout South East Queensland. It is broadcast at a frequency of 103.7 MHz....
Festival of Classics.
Trivia
- Tahu is known for his height - he is 6 foot 7 inches
- His first name comes from the Maori tribe Ngai TahuNgai TahuNgāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori iwi of the southern region of New Zealand, with the tribal authority, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, being based in Christchurch and Invercargill. The iwi combines three groups, Kāi Tahu itself, and Waitaha and Kāti Mamoe who lived in the South Island prior...
- He is 1/16 Maori
- As a teenager he wanted to grow up huge like Arnold Schwarzenegger