Artistic Director
Paul Dean
Brisbane born and bred clarinettist Paul Dean, has made a name for himself as a soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and artistic director.
Paul is the founder and Artistic Laureate of the chamber ensemble Southern Cross Soloists, the Bangalow Music Festival, SunWater and the Stanwell Winter Music School and has commissioned and premiered over 100 works, including his brother Brett’s clarinet concerto Ariel’s Music and Andrew Schultz’s Clarinet Quintet.
Between 1987 and 2000 he was Principal Clarinet with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and appeared as soloist with the Orchestra on over thirty occasions. Throughout the years, Paul has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, the Australian String Quartet, the Goldner Quartet, the Flinders Quartet, the Tin Alley Quartet, and many of the major orchestras in Australia and New Zealand.
Paul’s recording of the Mozart clarinet works for the Melba label and the clarinet music of English composer Benjamin Frankel for German label CPO have won high praise from critics around the world.
Performances and recordings of his brother Brett Dean’s clarinet concerto Ariel’s Music have also gained international acclaim for both performer and composer. Ariel’s Music with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra conducted by Markus Stenz was released on ABC classics. A recording of Paul performing this work was a finalist in the ARIA awards in 1999, and the piece was the Selected Work at the 1999 Paris Rostrum of Composers.
Paul grew up in a house full of music. He says ‘I can’t remember a moment in our house when music wasn’t played or being practiced'. His father’s love of Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Beethoven imbued his life from his first steps. A passionate supporter of youth and regional music education, Paul’s extensive work throughout Australia has left a lasting imprint on many budding musicians.
2011 will saw performances with the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the Seraphim Trio. Paul will be composing works for the Melbourne Piano Trio, the Seraphim Trio, the Flinders Quartet and the Brisbane Chamber Choir.
IN 2012 Paul will be touring Messiaen’s Quartet for the end of time with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and also with the Australian String Quartet on their National Tour in September. Paul is also composing works for Michael Kieran Harvey, The Flinders Quartet, cellist Patrick Murphy and the Southern Cross Soloists.
Paul is a committed Brisbane Lions supporter and is looking forward to their next flag in 2025!
Paul’s most memorable performance:
Performing Weber's First Concerto with the Munich Philharmonie
