1. composer / trombonist
tr@tilmanrobinson.com
www.tilmanrobinson.com
+61 421 778 745
Tilman Robinson is a composer, arranger, trombonist and sound artist, working across a wide
range of styles. He has performed (and premiered) a diverse range of works at numerous
venues, both national and internationally.
Tilman has received commissions from many diverse ensembles as well as major work
commissions from APRA, Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival (MJFF), PBSFM, the Melbourne
International Jazz Festival (MIJF) and Arts Centre Melbourne. In early 2014, Tilman released his
debut recording, Network of Lines, on the Listen/Hear Collective record label to national and
international acclaim. Network of Lines was subsequently nominated for two Australian Bell
Awards, a Music Victoria Genre Award and APRA/AMC Work of the Year. Continuing an
exploration of music and literature, Tilman was commissioned in 2014 by PBSFM and the MIJF
to create a new work, The Agony of Knowledge, based on elements of Norse mythology. In
2015, Tilman began extensive work on his sophomore release Deer Heart at Greenhouse
Studios in Reykjavik.
Tilman is also an in-demand orchestrator and arranger, having been engaged to arrange Sinead
O'Connor’s music for Orchestra Victoria’s Seven Songs to Leave Behind project at the 2010
Melbourne Festival. More recently he arranged the music of Finnish artist Tuomo and other
Nordic composers for the 2015 Perth Festival, creating an overarching electro-acoustic
pastiche. He was also a staff arranger for the orchestral re-staging of Shane Warne: The
Musical written by and starring Eddie Perfect, and arranged/co-produced over 20 songs for
orchestral folk artist Packwood’s quadruple album Vertumnus.
Tilman has performed at festivals including MONA FOMA, Perth Festival, Melbourne
International Jazz Festival, and the Wangaratta and Devonport Jazz Festivals. He has worked
with artists as diverse as Nico Muhly, Valgeir Sigurðsson, The Bang On a Can All Stars, John
Hollenbeck, Theo Bleckmann, Dave Douglas, Josh Groban (Aus/NZ Tour), Martha Wainwright,
Packwood, Dustin Tebbutt, Buena Vista Social Club, Kneebody, Myra Melford, Tuomo and
Peter Knight. Tilman’s solo performances for trombone, piano, no-input mixer and laptop at
2014’s MONA FOMA festival in Hobart were received to great audience and critical acclaim.
Tilman strives to create work that is both personal and interpersonal, abandoning genre in the
hope of creating something unique.
2. composer / trombonist
tr@tilmanrobinson.com
www.tilmanrobinson.com
+61 421 778 745
Press quotes
Solo performances
"Robinson mesmerised an audience of all ages with music that was at once soothing and avant
garde, but never anything other than warmly human" - Alex Needham - The Guardian
Responses to Network of Lines
"...an awe-inspiring work of contemporary music... 4.5/5 stars." John McBeath - The Australian
"...a truly beautiful balance of evocation and surprise, all spoken with a very human voice." John
Hardaker - australianjazz.net
"The music knows few if any borders ... a multi-coloured and exploratory mosaic." Ron
Schepper - textura.org
"...a mesmerizing web of instrumental textures. At times I felt elated; at others, close to tears.
4.5/5" Jessica Nicholas - The Age [Review of launch]
"...joyfully creative, a network that, in its immense variety and vibrancy, feels utterly and
magnificently full of life." David Murrieta - a closer listen
“[Network of Lines] is fascinating to listen to, it is clever and intricate but also at times,
heartbreaking and poignant.” Tim Rollinson – The Music Trust
Responses to The Agony of Knowledge
“… an epic, evocative moodscape.” Greg Phillips – australianjazz.net
3. composer / trombonist
tr@tilmanrobinson.com
www.tilmanrobinson.com
+61 421 778 745
Tertiary Education
BMus with First Class Honours (Composition): 2009 WA Academy of Performing Arts
BMus (Jazz): 2007 WA Academy of Performing Arts
Other Relevant Education
2013: Fall Music Residency at the Banff Centre (Canada)
2013: Studies with Nils Frahm, Thomas Meadowcroft, Darcy James Argue and Daniel Wohl
2011: Jazz and Creative Music Workshop with Dave Douglas at Banff Centre
2009/10: Studies with John Hollenbeck
2008-09: Composition studies with Ed Partyka, Mace Francis, Cat Hope and Lindsay Vickery
2005-07: Composition studies with Graeme Lyall OAM
2003/04: Bachelor of Performing Arts (Classical Music) [INCOMPLETE] at WA Academy of
Performing Arts
Selected Recordings – as composer
2014: Network of Lines
2013: Arts Centre Melbourne commission: Shrouded in Crowds
2011: MFO: Chinese Whispers IV
2009: MFO: Neverever...Well, Maybe Someday
Selected recordings – as performer
2014: Network of Lines
2013: Arts Centre Melbourne commission: Shrouded in Crowds
2011: MFO: Chinese Whispers IV
2010: Johannes Luebbers Dectet: The Exquisite Corpse of Beethoven
2009: MFO: Neverever...Well, Maybe Someday
2008: Johannes Luebbers Dectet: Make Some Noise
Commissions
2014: PBSFM & Melbourne International Jazz Festival: The Agony of Knowledge (45:00)
2013: Arts Centre Melbourne: Shrouded in Crowds (5:00)
2012: APRA & Melbourne Jazz Fringe Festival: Network of Lines (55:00)
2011: Fused - A Tree, A Cloud (8:00)
2010: Arundo Reed Quintet - Four Face of Vicissitude (6:00)
2009: Australian Brass Quintet: Cuidado con los Dientes del Sabio (4:20)
2009: WAAPA & JazzWA: Beneath the Roses program
Arranging Commitments
2015: Commission to arrange new electro-acoustic concert piece feat. Scandinavian composers
for 2015 Perth International Arts Festival
2014: Chamber orchestra arrangements for 21 songs for indie-folk artist Packwood
2013: Orchestral arrangements for Shane Warne: The Musical
2010: Orchestral arrangements for Melbourne Festival Seven Songs to Leave Behind
2010: Perthstar (West TV) (various ens.): Assistant arranger for television show
4. composer / trombonist
tr@tilmanrobinson.com
www.tilmanrobinson.com
+61 421 778 745
Selected performances
2014: Sold out performances of Network of Lines at Melbourne Recital Centre and The Agony
of Knowledge at Melbourne International Jazz Festival
2014: Solo performances at MONA FOMA (Hobart)
2013: Josh Groban (All That Echoes Aus/NZ Tour)
2012: Dan Sultan, Peter Knight, Network of Lines
2011: Martha Wainwright (Perth International Arts Festival), Bang On A Can All Stars (PIAF),
Dave Douglas (Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music), Myra Melford
(Banff), Kneebody (Banff)
2010: John Hollenbeck, Theo Bleckmann
2006: Frank Foster (IAJE Conference – New York), Ed Partyka
2005: Buena Vista Social Club
Accolades
2014: PBSFM ‘Young Elder of Jazz’ resulting in The Agony of Knowledge
2014: Network of Lines is nominated for 2 Australian Bell Awards: Best Contemporary ‘Avant-
Garde’ album and Best Australian Jazz Ensemble, APRA/AMC Jazz Work of the Year, and
Music Victoria Genre Award for Jazz.
2012: Network of Lines is listed by ABC Jazz’s Jessica Nicholas as a top 5 musical highlight
2009: WAM Song of the Year Award (Jazz) for Thinking Without Thinking
Received Grants
2015: Australia Council Development
2013: JUMP Mentoring (through Australia Council)
2013: ArtStart (through Australia Council)
2011: Quick Response Grant (through Department of Culture & the Arts WA)
Miscellaneous Engagements
2015: Studio intern at Greenhouse Studios, Reykjavik, assisting with recording, producing with
artists such as Nico Muhly and Valgeir Sigurðsson
2014: Studio Technician at Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM)
2010-12: Peer Review Panel Member for Department of Culture & the Arts WA
2012-: Lead blog editor and administrator at Sofar Sounds Melbourne
2013-: Freelance writer for AustralianJazz.net
Secondary/Tertiary Teaching
2011: Trombone Teacher: Hale School (WA)
2010-11: Assistant Musical Director: WA Youth Jazz Orchestra
2010-11: Lower Brass Teacher/Director of Swing Band: Trinity College (WA)
2008-09: Part-time lecturing: WA Academy of Performing Arts
2006-10: Lower Brass Teacher: St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls (WA)
2006-11: Lower Brass Teacher: Christ Church Grammar School (WA)