Callum Watson (musician)

Callum Watson (born 2 April 1997) is an Australian pianist, composer and producer.

Life

Watson was born in Melbourne in 1997. As a Recipient of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Margaret Schofield Scholarship in 2015, he graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor of Music degree from Monash University studying with Mary Finsterer, Paul Grabowsky, Thomas Reiner and conductor Jobst Liebrecht.

Since 2014, Watson has completed a body of work that includes Clash Of The Cultures, a major chamber work inspired by Samuel Huntington's Clash of Civilizations, premiered at Melba Hall, Melbourne University in 2015.

His theatre score Caliban, composed during his 2016 Composer in Residence position at Western Edge Arts was produced in partnership with Malthouse Theatre featuring an ethnically diverse cast. The work was toured across regional Victoria in 2018. Callum has composed a further four musicals with the company.

Watson has been commissioned since 2017 to produce major art installations for City of Greater Geelong's Geelong After Dark Festival. In 2018, Watson composed a duo for Bass Clarinet and Piccolo featuring acclaimed soloists Joel Hands-Otte and Jessica Zuk. He also worked with these soloists whilst Composer in Residence at the Australian Centre of Performing Arts producing a concert series called A Modern Recital.

In 2018, celebrating the 340th anniversary of Antonio Vivaldi, Watson produced a CD release release called Echoes of Earth. The release includes piano trio works by Watson and a new arrangement by Scott A. Aschauer of Vivaldi's La Notte from Six Flute Concertos, Op. 10. The recording is held at the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra.

Working as a producer, Watson collaborates with queer composer Scott A. Aschauer to deliver Otori Saikuru, a five part Australian opera-cycle that combines elements of Italian opera and Japanese Kabuki theatre.

Watson is also the founder and artistic director of Fringe Sundays, a bi-monthly arts event delivered in Geelong featuring local and international musicians.

Works

Selected works include:

• Colours of Conflict (2017) (premiered by Melbourne Symphony Orchestra)
• Caliban (2016)
• The Killer (2018) (premiered at Bendigo International Festival of Exploratory Music)
• Playing With Division (2017)
• Piano Trio No. 1 (2017)
• Clash Of The Cultures (2015)

References

Notes Sources

External links

• Official homepage
• Callum Watson on IMBb