Tom Allen is currently in his first year at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), studying with Carla Blackwood. Prior to starting at ANAM, Tom completed a Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the University of Melbourne, studying with Carla Blackwood and Nico Fleury. Tom first began playing the horn – after learning violin – at high school, where he learned from Linda Hewett.
Before and during early high school, Tom was a member of the National Boys Choir of Australia (2011-2016), where he participated in concerts with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, performing at Carols by Candlelight and doing gigs at major sporting events. This was very much his introduction to the world of classical music.
Tom began playing in orchestras in high school, but it wasn't until he participated in programs with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) that he decided orchestral playing was what he wanted most to be a part of. He took part in AYO programs between 2022-2024, which included a national tour with Sir Mark Elder and playing Principal Horn of the Alexander Orchestra at National Music Camp in 2023.
In terms of previous projects, Tom took part in a tour of Sydney and Melbourne with Andrea Bocelli and the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic in 2022; a side-by-side chamber project with members of the Australian World Orchestra and students from the University of Melbourne in 2023, and a tour to Singapore and Malaysia with the University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, which provided a great insight into what touring as an orchestral musician is like. Another highlight of his time at university was playing in a performance of Mahler's Second Symphony at Hamer Hall in 2022.
As part of his degree, Tom took part in masterclasses with Stefan Dohr, Andrew Bain, Simen Fegran, Genevieve Clifford, and Casey Rippon.
While Tom is a great fan of the late-romantic composers – Mahler, Strauss, and Wagner – he has an interest in 20th century music, particularly the neoclassical works of Stravinsky and later the post-minimalist style of John Adams.
Outside of music, Tom loves film and being at the cinema. He’s also a big fan of exploring different cuisines at restaurants around Melbourne.
Photo by Pia Johnson