Warren Thomson

Who is Warren Thomson?

Warren Milton Thomson OAM is an Australian pianist, piano competition juror, music editor, and music educator. He has been best known in Australia as artistic director and chairman of the jury of the Sydney International Piano Competition since its inception in 1977. He auditions all entrants, selects the competitors, and chooses the repertoire and the other jurors. He has also been the Artistic Director of the Yamaha Australian Youth Piano Competition since its inception in 1994.

Warren Thomson was educated at Wesley College, Melbourne and the University of Melbourne, where he studied under Roy Shepherd, a pupil of Alfred Cortot. In 1958 and 1959 he was Junior School Music Master, Geelong Grammar School. From 1960 to 1972 he was Foundation Director of Music, Trinity Grammar School, Melbourne, where his secondary role as boarding-house master earned him a reputation as a fine cook and organiser of dinner dances. In 1970 he was the founder of the Federation of Australian Music Teachers' Association, and was its president until 1982. From 1972 to 1974 he was director of studies for the Australian Music Examinations Board, and was the chair of its New South Wales entity, the Music Examinations Advisory Board, as the delegate of the Principal of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He was the foundation head of the School of Extension Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, a position he held from 1974 to 1995. From 1981 to 1987 he was a member of the Conservatorium's Board of Governors. He is artistic director of professional development at the Australian Institute of Music.