Julian Thompson

Australian Hometown(s): Canberra & Sydney
Education: Australian National University, Australian National Academy of Music

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Hailing from Canberra, Julian is one of the most versatile cellists of his generation.  For the last 14 years Julian has toured Australia and the world with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO), regularly performing in the world’s most prestigious concert halls and he appears on many of the ACO’s recordings.  Julian is in much demand as a recording artist and his solo cello performances can be heard in films such as Sherpa (2015), Tanna (2015), Miracle on Everest (2008), and the Sydney Dance Company productions ab [intra] (2018) and 2 One Another (2012).  Most recently Julian recorded all of the solo cello Yidaki parts on the ground breaking Gurrumul album Djarimirri, which was the first recording in an indigenous language to reach No. 1 on the ARIA charts and also won the Best World Music Album ARIA.  In 1999 Julian won the Best World Music Album ARIA for the album Fyvie’s Embrace.

Julian is a Fulbright Scholar and completed a Master of Music Degree in the USA with Janos Starker and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. He also studied at the Australian National University with Lois Simpson and David Pereira and at the Australian National Academy of Music.  As the ACO’s Education Representative Julian has been deeply involved in the creation and development of the ACO’s extensive education programs.  Julian performs regularly with the Australian World Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and has appeared as soloist with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Julian is the custodian of a beautiful 1729 Guarneri cello, generously gifted to the ACO by Peter Weiss AO (deceased).

Last updated 2020