Brett Weymark

Conductor

Brett Weymark studied conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under Mats Nilsson, John Hopkins, Henryk Pisarek and Patrick Thomas. In 2001, he was awarded a Centenary Medal for Services to Choral Music and, in 2002, he was awarded a grant from the NSW Ministry for the Arts to further his studies in conducting in England, Europe and America.

Following a period as Assistant Chorus Master at Sydney Philharmonia, he took up the position of Musical Director in 2003.

He has prepared works for Sir Charles Mackerras, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Edo de Waart, Sir Simon Rattle & Charles Dutoit, amongst others. For Sydney Philharmonia he has conducted many baroque works such as Rameau’s Les Grands Motets and Handel’s Messiah alongside works such as Fauré’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana and Tippett’s A Child of Our Time. As Artistic Director, he is passionate about new Australian compositions, baroque masterworks, music education and access to the art of choral singing.

From 2003 to 2005 he was Musical Director and Conductor for Pacific Opera conducting productions of The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel and Cosi fan tutte.

In 2005 as part of the Sydney Philharmonia season and in collaboration with ABC Classic FM, he led a series of ten concerts dedicated to the genius of JS Bach’s church cantatas. Thirty-two cantatas were performed over a ten-concert season. He also conducted the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in a concert of French and English works and was guest conductor with the Sydney Chamber Choir and the Canberra Chorale.

Highlights in 2006 include conducting a concert of Danish works for the Sydney Festival with the Sydney Youth Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, working with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in performances of the Wizard of Oz and leading a weekend workshop and performance of the Mozart Requiem, with over 1,300 voices in the Concert Hall of Sydney Opera House. In addition, in late 2006, Brett Weymark conducted much of the live music recorded for the film Happy Feet.

In 2007 Brett conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in a series of concerts with Michael Parkinson and in February of 2007 he toured to the UWA Perth International Arts Festival with the choir to act as Chorus Master for a performance of Britten’s War Requiem with the Australian Youth Orchestra. He also conducted and recorded Symphony of Australia with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as well as conducting St Matthew Passion, Carmina Burana, Verdi’s Requiem, Messiah and Dido and Aeneas for Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

In addition to conducting concerts in our 2008 subscription season, Brett conducted two concerts as part of the Intervarsity Choral Festival and performances with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in January.

Later this year he will be working with the Black Arm Band in the Melbourne Festival and conducting Mendelssohn’s Elijah in Canberra.