Warren Thomson
Encyclopedia
Warren Milton Thomson OAM
is an Australia
n pianist, music editor, music educator and piano competition juror. He is best known in Australia as Artistic Director and Chairman of the jury of the Sydney International Piano Competition
since its inception in 1977. He auditions all the entrants, selects the competitors, and chooses the repertoire and the other jurors. He has also been the Artistic Director of the Yamaha Australian Youth Piano Competition since its inception in 1994.
Warren Thomson was educated at Wesley College
, Melbourne
and the University of Melbourne
, where he studied under Roy Shepherd, a pupil of Alfred Cortot
. In 1958 and 1959 he was Junior School Music Master, Geelong Grammar School
. From 1960 to 1972 he was Foundation Director of Music, Trinity Grammar School, Melbourne
, where his secondary role as boarding-house master earned him a reputation as a fine cook and a great organiser of dinner dances. In 1970 he was the founder of the Federation of Australian Music Teachers' Association, and was its President until 1982. From 1972 to 1974 he was Director of Studies for the Australian Music Examinations Board
. He was the foundation Head of the School of Extension Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
, a position he held from 1974 to 1995. From 1981 to 1987 he was a member of the Conservatorium’s Board of Governors. He is currently Artistic Director of Professional Development at the Australian Institute of Music
.
He has organised and conducted workshops for music teachers and students throughout NSW since 1976, and co-ordinated over three hundred and fifty in-service courses for teachers at Sydney Conservatorium. He has performed over 1,200 new piano works for teachers and given frequent broadcasts on piano teaching, as well as lecture-demonstrations and master classes in the USA, Ukraine, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. In 1989 he was the first Australian to be invited to present a paper at the Annual Conference of the Music Teachers' Association, USA.
He has had an active career in conducting, performing, broadcasting and lecturing. He has undertaken numerous overseas study tours to investigate music education in Europe, Japan, South America, USA, Hungary, Poland and the former Soviet Union. He has given many radio broadcasts in Australia and abroad, including a recording of the piano music of Aram Khachaturian
in 1978, the year of the composer’s death, for Moscow radio.
He has adjudicated at all the major eisteddfods in Australia and has been on international juries, including Deputy Chairman of the Piano Jury for the International Tchaikovsky Competition
, Moscow, 1982 and 1990, Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition
1991, New Zealand National Concerto Competition 1993, Cincinnati World Piano Competition 1993, UNISA Transet Competition (Pretoria, South Africa) 1994, Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Japan) 1994, Vladimir Horowitz
International Piano Competition, Kiev, 1995, 1997 and 1999, Krainev Competition in Kharkov 1996, José Iturbi
Competition, Valenzia Spain, 1996, Cologne International Competition, Germany, 1996, Schubert Competition, Germany, 1999, Trani International Piano Competition, Italy, 2004 and 2006, Tbilisi International Piano Competition, Georgia, 2005, Shanghai International Piano Competition, P.R. China, 2005, Thalberg International Piano Competition Naples, Italy, 2006, China International Piano Competition, Xiamen, P.R. China, 2007.
In 1983 he was the Australian Representative to the European Piano Teachers’ Association. In 1995, was made an Honorary Member of the Tchaikovsky Society of Russia. In 2001 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Music Teachers (Australia) and member of the Organizing Committee of the Horowitz International Piano Competition, Kiev, Ukraine. In January 2005 he was made an Honorary Professor of the Kong Xiang-Dong Music Arts College, Shanghai SIPO Polytechnic, P.R. China, and in November 2005 Honorary Professor at The Shanghai Conservatory of Music, P.R. China.
In 1987 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
for his services to music education.
His publications include the first Australian Urtext editions, and editions of works by: J. S. Bach, Mozart, Pachelbel, Chopin, Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Czerny, Schubert, Schumann and Tchaikovsky.
He is unmarried.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
is an 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...
n pianist, music editor, music educator and piano competition juror. He is best known in Australia as Artistic Director and Chairman of the jury of the Sydney International Piano Competition
Sydney International Piano Competition
The Sydney International Piano Competition of Australia is a music competition, presented by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in association with the University of Sydney and broadcast live throughout Australia. It is held every four years, over a three-week period in July-August, and is...
since its inception in 1977. He auditions all the entrants, selects the competitors, and chooses the repertoire and the other jurors. He has also been the Artistic Director of the Yamaha Australian Youth Piano Competition since its inception in 1994.
Warren Thomson was educated at Wesley College
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, where he studied under Roy Shepherd, a pupil of Alfred Cortot
Alfred Cortot
Alfred Denis Cortot was a Franco-Swiss pianist and conductor. He is one of the most renowned 20th-century classical musicians, especially valued for his poetic insight in Romantic period piano works, particularly those of Chopin and Schumann.-Early life and education:Born in Nyon, Vaud, in the...
. In 1958 and 1959 he was Junior School Music Master, Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located at Corio, on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay....
. From 1960 to 1972 he was Foundation Director of Music, Trinity Grammar School, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, where his secondary role as boarding-house master earned him a reputation as a fine cook and a great organiser of dinner dances. In 1970 he was the founder of the Federation of Australian Music Teachers' Association, and was its President until 1982. From 1972 to 1974 he was Director of Studies for the Australian Music Examinations Board
Australian Music Examinations Board
The Australian Music Examinations Board is a privately funded corporation which assesses music, speech, and drama in Australia. The organisation had its beginnings at the Universities of Melbourne and Adelaide in 1887; the organisation now has a Federal Office in Melbourne, and offices in each...
. He was the foundation Head of the School of Extension Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music
Sydney Conservatorium of Music
The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is one of the oldest and most prestigious music schools in Australia...
, a position he held from 1974 to 1995. From 1981 to 1987 he was a member of the Conservatorium’s Board of Governors. He is currently Artistic Director of Professional Development at the Australian Institute of Music
Australian Institute of Music
The Australian Institute of Music is a private not-for-profit institution originally founded in 1968 by Dr Peter Calvo, and then known as the Sydney Guitar School...
.
He has organised and conducted workshops for music teachers and students throughout NSW since 1976, and co-ordinated over three hundred and fifty in-service courses for teachers at Sydney Conservatorium. He has performed over 1,200 new piano works for teachers and given frequent broadcasts on piano teaching, as well as lecture-demonstrations and master classes in the USA, Ukraine, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. In 1989 he was the first Australian to be invited to present a paper at the Annual Conference of the Music Teachers' Association, USA.
He has had an active career in conducting, performing, broadcasting and lecturing. He has undertaken numerous overseas study tours to investigate music education in Europe, Japan, South America, USA, Hungary, Poland and the former Soviet Union. He has given many radio broadcasts in Australia and abroad, including a recording of the piano music of Aram Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian
Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was a prominent Soviet composer. Khachaturian's works were often influenced by classical Russian music and Armenian folk music...
in 1978, the year of the composer’s death, for Moscow radio.
He has adjudicated at all the major eisteddfods in Australia and has been on international juries, including Deputy Chairman of the Piano Jury for the International Tchaikovsky Competition
International Tchaikovsky Competition
The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a classical music competition held every four years in Moscow, Russia for pianists, violinists, and cellists between 16 and 30 years of age, and singers between 19 and 32 years of age...
, Moscow, 1982 and 1990, Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition
Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition
The Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition is based in Salt Lake City, Utah and is the second largest piano competition in the United States....
1991, New Zealand National Concerto Competition 1993, Cincinnati World Piano Competition 1993, UNISA Transet Competition (Pretoria, South Africa) 1994, Hamamatsu International Piano Competition (Japan) 1994, Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Horowitz
Vladimir Samoylovich Horowitz was a Russian-American classical virtuoso pianist and minor composer. His technique and use of tone color and the excitement of his playing were legendary. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Life and early...
International Piano Competition, Kiev, 1995, 1997 and 1999, Krainev Competition in Kharkov 1996, José Iturbi
José Iturbi
José Iturbi was a Spanish conductor, harpsichordist and pianist. He appeared in several Hollywood films of the 1940s, notably playing himself in the 1943 musical, Thousands Cheer and in the 1945 film, Anchors Aweigh...
Competition, Valenzia Spain, 1996, Cologne International Competition, Germany, 1996, Schubert Competition, Germany, 1999, Trani International Piano Competition, Italy, 2004 and 2006, Tbilisi International Piano Competition, Georgia, 2005, Shanghai International Piano Competition, P.R. China, 2005, Thalberg International Piano Competition Naples, Italy, 2006, China International Piano Competition, Xiamen, P.R. China, 2007.
In 1983 he was the Australian Representative to the European Piano Teachers’ Association. In 1995, was made an Honorary Member of the Tchaikovsky Society of Russia. In 2001 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Music Teachers (Australia) and member of the Organizing Committee of the Horowitz International Piano Competition, Kiev, Ukraine. In January 2005 he was made an Honorary Professor of the Kong Xiang-Dong Music Arts College, Shanghai SIPO Polytechnic, P.R. China, and in November 2005 Honorary Professor at The Shanghai Conservatory of Music, P.R. China.
In 1987 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for his services to music education.
His publications include the first Australian Urtext editions, and editions of works by: J. S. Bach, Mozart, Pachelbel, Chopin, Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Czerny, Schubert, Schumann and Tchaikovsky.
He is unmarried.