Australian Guitarist

Tom Ward

Tom Ward was born in Tasmania, Australia in April 1983. Raised in the Tasmanian bush within a musical family he displayed musical talent from an early age, playing a variety of instruments & styles of music. At 14 he began his classical music & guitar studies at the St. Cecilia School of Music, Launceston with violinist & guitar teacher Matthews Tyson (ex pupil of violin virtuoso Jan Sedivka).Where he received two music Diplomas.

By age 15 he gained first place two years consecutively, in the annual Tasmanian Folk Federation (under 19) competition. By age 17 he had received first place in numerous categories for classic guitar instrumental performance.

Tom studied for his BMus under the mentorship of Timothy Kain at the Australian National University. He received commendation for his consistently high level of performance & results. (As well, receiving a Music Scholarship from Burgmann College.) He is presently in his honours year at ANU under the guidance of Timothy Kain and Geoffrey Lancaster.

Tom has been assisted by various arts & other organisations: Arts Tasmania, to record & produce his classic CD “Tasmanian Sunrise", Regional Arts Tasmania (grant & tour), The Queens Trust centenary award.

Other awards include: Tasmanian Composer of the Year (2000) (Australian Society of Musicology & Composition), PPCA studies grant 2000, Foundation for Young Australians, Australia Day Young Citizen of the year 2003 (MVC), member of winning Guitar Ensemble Trio at the Australian International Guitar Festival, Newcastle, NSW, 2004, individual winner of the Open Instrumental section of the Hobart Eisteddfod 2004 & prizewinning finalist at the International Gisborne Music Competition, New Zealand, 2004.

ABC & New Zealand radio regularly broadcast Tom & there have been variuos articles about Tom in Australian, New Zealand & Japanese newspapers. At Maestro Carlo Barone's request Tom performed at the International Condrongianos Festival in Italy 2004.

Tom has performed overseas in Italy, London, New Zealand, Japan as well as in Australia.

During his musical life Tom has had the opportunity to meet & perform in master classes to artists such as Pavel Steidl, Geoffrey Lancaster, David Leisner, Carlos Bonell, Jose Maria Gallardo del Ray, Carlo Barone, Tim Kain & Stepan Rak.

Tom's commitment to guitar extends to music as a whole, considering it necessary to explore guitar performance further, through the study and interpretation of guitar virtuosos and that of the great conductors & instrumental soloists. He sees the guitar as the most versatile & expressive of solo instruments. At a future date, he intends to take up some of the offers extended to him overseas to further his musical studies. He also has plans for an Australian & overseas tour and to produce his next CD in 2006.

Tom recently returned from a series of highly acclaimed concert performances, as a solo artist & with the Tasmania Ensemble, at the Japanese World Expo. Subsequently he has been requested to return & perform a solo concert series at the Japanese expo in September at the Australian Pavilion & other venues.