Thomas Misson : Associate Artist
Photo: Cameron Jamieson
Email:
Thomas Misson is an Australian composer, pianist, teacher, and music journalist. Misson graduated with a BMus in Music Composition with (First Class Honours) from UTAS in 2016 under the tutelage of Dr Maria Grenfell, Russell Gilmour and Don Kay. Misson also has an M.Mus (full scholarship) from The University of Melbourne under Elliot Gyger and Katy Abbott, winning an MRC commission award during his studies. Misson's recent nominations and prizes include selection as a finalist for the 25' ISCM World Music Days, multiple APRA Art Music Award nominations, and a Regional Arts Fund Quick Response grant. Adtitionally, Misson has been fortunate to receive mentorship from Dai Fujikura, Nico Muhly, Yannis Kyriakides, Ken Thomson, Melody Eötvös, & Matthew Hindson.
Misson's music has been commissioned and performed by Musica Viva Australia, the Affinity Quartet, the Soli Ensemble, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, the Flinders Quartet, Ensemble Offspring, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra Collective as featured on the ABC Album Hush 18 Collective Wisdom. Recently, Misson's music has been performed at Wigmore Hall, the International Chopin Festival, the Osaka World Expo, the Aspen Music Festival, the Adelaide Festival, and the Alba Music Festival. Misson's music receives frequent broadcasts on ABC Classic.
Misson is an experienced pianist and accompanist, recipient of an LMus.A (Distinction) and many open prizes from the Hobart Eisteddfod including the Nelle Ashdown Memorial Award, a concerto soloist, and has toured with Virtuosi Tasmania multiple times. Misson also has a background in music journalism with CutCommon and The Mercury. Misson's day jobs include teaching and running a new music publishing initiative out of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra called TSO Publishing. His current projects include a clarinet & piano commission, to be performed by Derek Grice and himself at the TSO Studio in October, and a commission for the Omega Ensemble, to be premiered in August in Sydney.
Thomas Misson — current to April 2026
Awards & Prizes
| Year | Award | Placing | Awarded for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Jean Bogan Prize for Piano Composition | Highly Commended (Youth Prize) | Saturday Night Tuberculosis |
Selected Commissions
| Work | Commission Details | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Infinite Affinities : for string quartet (2023) | Commissioned by Melbourne Recital Centre. |
|
|
Convocations : for solo piano (2023) | Commissioned by Musica Viva Australia as part of their 2023 season. |