Australia’s most celebrated living composer will curate, conduct and compose during his tenure, until 2018.

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of award-winning Australian composer Brett Dean as the SSO’s first Artist in Residence. Dean, who is considered to be one of the world’s most outstanding composers, will hold the position until 2018, and in addition to writing a major new work for the SSO to be premiered in 2018, will curate a new concert series of contemporary music at the Carriageworks in the Central Sydney suburb of Redfern.

The appointment of Dean, who in addition to being an in-demand composer is also a violist with the Berlin Philharmonic and a respected conductor, is not only a major coup for the SSO but also represents the most ambitious and substantial contemporary music programme of any major arts organisation in Australia. During his residency Dean is keen to stretch the boundaries of Australian musical tastes. “We underestimate the curiosity of our audiences at our peril,” said the composer. “What’s really important to me, and what I really appreciate about this opportunity is being able to show leadership to an audience. If we relinquish our leadership role...