Michael Sydney Jones

Michael studied composition at the Tasmanian Conservatorium with Ian Cugley and Don Kay. In 1985, he studied privately with Paul Patterson, Head of Composition and Director of Contemporary Music at the Royal Academy of Music, London. In preparation for his studies with Paul, in 1983 Michael conducted the brass and percussion sections of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for a recording of an extended work by him entitled Fanfare. Michael's subsequent score Sun Cycles was given permanent placement in the Royal Academy Library. Michael has received varied commissions including those from Arts Tasmania, the British Arts Council (Berlin), and IHOS Opera. Michael's work is often focused on teaching the subtleties of Afro-Cuban phrasing within classical music architecture. Examples of this include Kitchen Table Rondo for IHOS Opera (2010); Beowulf's Lament for trombone and tape, written for IHOS Foundation Amsterdam (2016); and They Knew The Man for pre-recorded singers and multimedia, which was premiered on Easter Saturday in 2019 at St James Church in New Town, Hobart. Michael worked frequently as a casual trombonist with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra from 1980 to 1985 and was a founding member of the Tasmanian Trombone Quartet. Michael has also worked in big bands and in cabaret.