Simon Bruckard

Conductor and composer Simon Bruckard has worked with orchestras and opera companies all over Australia, including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, State Opera South Australia, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria and Ensemble Q. In 2025 he conducted the premiere of Elena Katz-Chernin’s score Milestone for Sydney Festival alongside the composer, Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria at the Queensland Conservatorium and is conducting La Bohème again for Opera Australia. He worked for several years as Simone Young’s assistant conductor in both Australia and Europe. Simon is also a prolific composer and arranger. He composed the score to the film The Golden Spurtle, which premiered in March 2025 to critical acclaim. An original work written with acclaimed writer and director Constantine Costi, Simon’s opera, Cassandra, premiered in March 2021 at Victorian Opera. His youth opera The Selfish Giant, written with librettist Emma Muir-Smith, premiered to a sold-out audience as part of Victorian Opera’s 2019 season and won several awards. It had a highly successful return season at the Arts Centre Melbourne in May 2022. He is currently composing a new commission for Darwin Symphony Orchestra.