Tony Gould
Melbourne born musician Tony Gould is well known and admired in both classical and jazz musical circles. As a musician, Tony Gould is characterised by a desire to encompass as broad a range of activities as possible, aiming to reduce often prejudiced judgements about the relative worth of different musical styles.
His performances cover a wide range. He has accompanied such eminent jazz musicians as Clark Terry, Mark Murphy and Ernestine Anderson and has been a supporting artist to Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, Jean Luc Ponty, Ray Brown, the Art Ensemble of Chicago and many other distinguished groups. Yet he is equally at home playing Bach and Mozart and has been a guest soloist with both the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Elizabethan Melbourne Orchestra.
He has recorded on over twenty commercially released CDs, among the most highly acclaimed are Lirik (1994), Unanimity (1995) with pianist Bob Sedergreen, Gateway and A Tin Roof for the Rain (1996 and 1997) with saxophonist Robert Burke and cellist Sarah Morse. He regularly records for the ABC.
Over the past few years, Tony has become increasingly active as a composer. He has fulfilled commissions for the Victorian Arts Centre, the Hamilton Arts Festival, the Solitaire Tuba Ensemble, and has written works for horn and piano and tuba and piano. He has been a guest artist with the State Orchestra of Victoria for a premiere of his work Homage to Bach for symphony orchestra and piano trio. He was commissioned to write music for two award winning CSIRO documentary films. In 1997 his chamber work Under Milk Wood, based on Dylan Thomas' work, was premiered by the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra and narrated by distinguished Australian actor John Stanton.
Tony's music has wide appeal. He draws from a wide range of musical influences including Bach, Mahler, Stravinsky, Bartok, Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans. His style of composition is marked by rhythmic vitality and a particular sensitivity to harmony.
Tony is has recently resigned from his position as Dean of Music at the Victorian College of the Arts School of music.
In 1997 he was visiting Head of Post Graduate Studies, at the Conservatorium of Music, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. In recent years he has also lectured at The University of Melbourne and acted as a consultant for the National Academy of Music and Director of their inaugural program for improvisation studies.
He has been a chief adjudicator for The Sun Aria competition for the last twenty years and adjudicator of eisteddfods and scholarships throughout Australia, including the National Finals of the Yamaha Music Competition and the World Final of the Yamaha Music Competition. He was a member of the founding committee of advisors in establishing the Yamaha Music Foundation and continues to be a senior member of examining panels for exams in Keyboard.
Tony is a respected music writer and critic having contributed to The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, The Oxford Companion to Australian Music and Music Forum. He was chief (classical) music critic for The Sun newspaper (Melbourne) for a number of years and has also written for The Australian.
Artist's website: www.tonygould.com.au
Press quotes
“one of a rare breed of pianists not frightened of showing his emotions when he plays”
— Leon Gettler, The Age
“one of the most talented artists in Australia.”
— Joya Jenson, 2MBS FM
“Tony Gould has emerged as a world-class talent, a formidable composer as well as a highly lyrical interpreter of other people's works ... a sensitive accompanist”
— Steve Robertson, Music Australia Guide
Tony Gould is featured on the following titles
The cello and the mockingbird
Performer: Piano, Composer
Improvisations on beautiful melodies. Cellist Imogen Manins joins forces with Tony Gould (piano) and David Jones (percussion) for this very special new release from Move Records.
The Lucky Ones
Performer: Piano, Composer
This collection of pieces includes old and new standards, originals, music written for film, and three pieces composed totally spontaneously at the keyboard.
Home
Performer: Piano, Composer
In 2002, Tony Gould and Emma Gilmartin recorded Tomorrow, Just You Wait and See in the peaceful surrounds of Move's recording studio. Since then they have been lucky enough to revisit this place several times to record some of their favourite songs.
In Memoriam
Performer: Piano, Composer
In Memoriam features John Lewis' piece of the same name in a 4 hand version. Also included is the Suite for two pianos by Martial Solal and several other tracks including, Prologue, Skating in Central Park, Skyline, Under Capricorn, Poinciana, Milano and Epilogue.
Tomorrow, just you wait and see
Performer: Piano, Composer
With favourites such as The white cliffs of Dover, Smile and I fall in love too easily, this beautiful duet album between pianist Tony Gould and vocalist Emma Gilmartin is a masterpiece in spontaneous musical invention to be enjoyed again and again. Just you wait and see!
From within
Performer, Composer
Move's ARIA-nominated jazz duo again returns to the studio for their long awaited new album! This recording goes much further in terms of repertoire, and consequently extends the level of energy on the spirited pieces, and the level of expression on the gentler ones.
River Story
Performer: Piano, Composer
Jazz pianist Tony Gould joins with one of the most talented guitarists/composers in Australia, Peter Petrucci, and together they play a mix of original pieces and standard repertoire.
The Tony Gould Quartet
Performer: Piano
Some of the best captured live in concert! This CD of well-known and much loved jazz pieces features the acclaimed jazz pianist Tony Gould and one of Australia's greatest saxophonists, Graeme Lyall.
Unanimity
Performer: Piano, Composer
A truly unique experience: two grand pianos together on one disc. Bob Sedergreen and Tony Gould, two great Australian jazz improvisation artists.
Chronicle
Performer, Composer
The orchestral and film music of Tony Gould. Chronicle forms an inspiring record of musical events in the life of Tony Gould, one of Australia's most creative musicians and composers.
Horn Destinations
Performer: Piano, Composer
Outstanding horn player Richard Runnels presents an exciting collection of pieces for horn and keyboard. With Brachi Tilles and Tony Gould.
Spirit of the Rainbow
Performer: Piano, Composer
The sensitive and imaginative piano of Tony Gould combines with Brian Brown's passionate flute, haunting pan pipes and saxophone. Some themes were composed especially for the duo, others are the result of spontaneous improvisation.
Gould Plays Gould
Performer: Piano, Composer
Some of Australia's finest players of spontaneous, improvised music display their remarkable talents on this disc compiled from two previously released LPs. Conducted by John Sangster.
Performing as McJad
McJad was formed in the 1970s and comprised the duo of trumpeter Keith Hounslow and pianist Tony Gould. The idea was that the duo extemporise not only on an original theme, but a freely improvised theme!
McJad Goes Organic
Performer, Composer
Those who knew the Melbourne jazz scene back in the 1970s would fondly remember McJad, the free improvising duo of trumpeter Keith Hounslow and pianist Tony Gould. This double-CD features their latest album plus a bonus re-issue of their original LPs. A true collector's item!
Compositions by Tony Gould also appear on
Elektra
Composer
Australian piano music by Gifford, Gould, Ford, Yu and Michael Kieran Harvey. Elektra is an experiment in extending acoustic piano sound via computer, and was a collaboration with sound engineer Michael Hewes, who surfed the piano resonances in real time.
Tony Gould also appears on
Uttered Nonsense (The Owl and the Pussycat)
Performer
Uttered nonsense, (the Owl and the Pussycat), consists eight works of Mr Edward Lear, spoken with the utmost gravity by Mr Ivan Smith, and set to music of the most nonsensical nature by John Sangster.
The Last Will and Testament of John Sangster
Performer: Piano
Tony Gould, Len Barnard, Graeme Lyall and friends. A fitting musical tribute to one of Australia's unsung heroes of jazz - John Sangster - by some of this country's top performers.
