Prof. David Slater

Australia

David Slater is an experienced conductor, having worked under the former Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted student, amateur and professional orchestras and choirs throughout the world, and many seasons of musical theatre. Mr Slater has founded and directed a number of award-winning music organisations which include contemporary music ensembles, orchestras, choirs, youth orchestras and musical theatre companies. He is a regular guest conductor of orchestras and choirs, workshop conductor for schools, music camps and festivals, and conducts masterclasses in many parts of the world, most recently in Austria, Latvia and Russia. He has worked with choirs and orchestras from the USA, Spain, France, Hungary, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, UK, Ireland, Hong Kong and in Australia. Mr Slater is an Australian composer and a Represented Artist with the Australian Music Centre. He studied at the University of Sydney followed by post-graduate studies on scholarship in Germany. His work, twice short-listed for Australia’s richest composition award, includes genres from the concert hall to TV, film and advertising. It encompasses solo, chamber, choral and orchestral music from professional to student levels. He receives regular commissions and his work is performed throughout Australia and the world. He has over 35 years’ experience as a music educator at tertiary and secondary level, with 25 years as Director of Music. He has taught and lectured in 3 Australian states, at the School of Music at the Australian National University, on the sessional staff of the Queensland Conservatorium of music and in elite schools. He has been a consultant on music curriculum and given seminars in several countries. He is passionate about the place of music in society and in education, and has promoted the creation, study and performance of great music throughout his career. Mr Slater is sought after as a performance adjudicator, having worked with many organisations, festivals and eisteddfods. Positions have included final year examiner in three Australian states and jury member for festivals around the world. These include the World Choir Games in Sochi (Russia), the Summa Cum Laude International Youth Music Festival in Vienna (Austria) the Leonardo da Vinci and Lorenzo de’Medici International Choral Festivals in Florence (Italy), the European Choir Games and Choral Grand Prix of Nations in Riga (Latvia), the Queen of the Adriatic Sea International Choral Competition in Cattolica (Italy), the Rimini International Choral Festival (Italy) and the Bratislava International Youth Music Festivals (Slovakia). He has won many major awards for composition, conducting and services to music in the community, including the Symphony Australia Prize, the National Award of the Orchestras of Australia Network and Australia Day awards for services to music in the community. He has published articles on music and music education and is Australia’s representative to the World Choir Council.