Jason Isaac
Email: hms@ihug.com.au
Jason Isaac BMus(perf) DipMus(Jazz) MTeach has been conducting orchestras, symphonic bands, and jazz ensembles for the past 20 years. Currently Director of Bands at Ashbury Public, Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, Willoughby Girls High School, and Director of Jazz at St Andrew’s College, Sydney University; Jason also works at The NSW Department of Education Arts Unit as conductor of the NSW Public Schools’ Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and the NSW Public Schools’ Symphony Orchestra. He has conducted at Pan Pacific Jazz Camps, State Music Camps, IAJE Jazz Camps, and for the Sydney Youth Orchestras.
In 2008 he travelled to the US to study with Victor Lewis, Jeff Hirschfield, Gregory Hutchinson and Carl Allen (Julliard). He has adjudicated at a range of Eisteddfods, and is in demand as a clinician and professional mentor.
In 2009 Jason was accepted into the Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program; conducting Orchestra Victoria, The Auckland Philharmonic, Adelaide Symphony and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. As part of this program, Jason studied with Lutz Koehler (Berlin), Arvo Volmer (Estonia) Marko Letonja (Slovenia) and Christopher Seaman (London). In 2014, Jason made made his conducting debut to acclaim at Chicago’s Midwest Clinic; the world’s largest music education conference; and is currently the Assistant Musical Director of the NSW Schools’ Spectacular.
Jason has presented BOSTES/NESA accredited professional development sessions for the Australian Band & Orchestra Directors’ Association and NSW Department of Education and has published articles in the areas of Jazz Pedagogy, Structuring Co-Curricular Instrumental Music Programs and Repertoire Selection.
In 2015 and 2016 he was the proud recipient of both the Secondary and Primary Schools’ ABODA Conductor Awards at the NSW School Band Festival. In 2017 he was on the faculty for the Australian International Music Festival; working as a clinician and adjudicator for ensembles from around the world; and in January 2018 was engaged as a Course Associate Teacher for the ABODA Conducting Summer School; assisting Dr John Lynch.
Jason has toured extensively, both regionally and internationally and has performed in over 20 countries. In 1999 he travelled to Russia, Finland and Estonia as soloist with the SBS Radio and Television Youth Orchestra, and has been broadcast on ABC Classic FM, Finnish National Radio, Chinese National Television, Channels 10, 9 & 7, the ABC and the SBS television networks in Australia. He holds a BMus(Perf), and a DipMus(JazzPerf) from the Sydney Conservatorium, and a Masters of Teaching from the University of Sydney.