Tim Hansen is a composer and songwriter known for blending cabaret and theatrical idioms with contemporary concert music. His music is an expression of his lifelong fascination with storytelling, be they grim fairy tales, ancient myths, or the simple, domestic everyday stories of the lives of those around him. His work draws from a dark but gleeful palette inspired by sources as diverse as Weimar cabaret, circus music, 20th century modernism, music theatre and post-minimalism.
An enthusiastic and charismatic educator, Tim has created two online lessons for TED on music. He is currently composer in residence at Santa Sabina College and is engaged with Musica Viva as part of the 'Musician in the Classroom' program. He is also a major contributor to Soundfly, a US-based website filled with lessons and dedicated to the idea that anyone can be a musician.
Tim is a co-founding director of the W4 New Music collective based in New York, along with his co-directors Matt Frey, Molly Herron and Ruben Naeff. The collective combines the individual voices of each composer and other artists to create cohesive programs of new music, and has included an oratorio based on Moby Dick performed by Contemporaneous and presented by New York's MATA festival; and Cellophilia, which featured contemporary works entirely for 'cello and which was remounted as part of Fast Forward Austin festival in Austin Texas.
Tim has worked extensively with music ensembles, cabaret groups and theatre companies around Australia and in the USA such as Synergy Percussion, Contemporaneous, JACK quartet, Cadillac Moon Ensemble, and TRANSIT ensemble. He also regularly works with young people in the arts, and has worked with Canberra Youth Theatre, Australian Theatre for Young People and Shopfront Youth Theatre in Australia and the Lucy Moses School, Camp Broadway and The New Group in New York.
Tim is also a total nerd and would spend his life as a student if he could. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Theatre & Media)(Honours) from Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, a Bachelor of Music (Composition) from the Australian National University in Canberra, and a Master of Music Theory and Composition from New York University. His teachers include Michael Gordon, Julia Wolfe, Martin Bresnick, Lisa Moore, David Lang, Jim Cotter, Larry Sitsky and Toby Twining.
View My Personal BioTim Hansen is a composer, music director and songwriter known for blending cabaret and theatrical idioms with contemporary concert music. His music is an expression of his lifelong fascination with storytelling, be they grim fairy tales, ancient myths, or the simple, domestic everyday stories of the lives of those around him. His work draws from a dark but gleeful palette inspired by sources as diverse as Weimar cabaret, circus music, 20th century modernism, music theatre and post-minimalism.
An enthusiastic and charismatic educator, Tim has created two online lessons for TED on music. He is currently composer in residence at Santa Sabina College and is engaged with Musica Viva as part of the 'Musician in the Classroom' program. He is also a major contributor to Soundfly, a US-based website filled with lessons and dedicated to the idea that anyone can be a musician.
Tim is a co-founding director of the W4 New Music collective based in New York, along with his co-directors Matt Frey, Molly Herron and Ruben Naeff. The collective combines the individual voices of each composer and other artists to create cohesive programs of new music, and has included an oratorio based on Moby Dick performed by Contemporaneous and presented by New York's MATA festival; and Cellophilia, which featured contemporary works entirely for 'cello and which was remounted as part of Fast Forward Austin festival in Austin Texas.
Residency credits include being a composition fellow at the Bang on a Can Summer Institute, the Norfolk Contemporary Music Festival and twice artist-in-residence at Hill End. In addition to being short listed for the APRA Professional Development award in 2010 and 2013, Tim has been awarded the Frank Ponton Memorial Prize, the Darwin International Guitar Festival Composition Prize and an ArtStart Grant from the Australia Council for the Arts. He also co-founded the ExhAust Australian music ensemble in New York, a group dedicated to presenting the work of Australian artists in New York City.
Tim has worked extensively with music ensembles, cabaret groups and theatre companies around Australia and in the USA such as Everyman Theatre, Synergy Percussion, Contemporaneous, JACK quartet, Cadillac Moon Ensemble, and TRANSIT ensemble. He also regularly works with young people in the arts, and has worked with Canberra Youth Theatre, Australian Theatre for Young People and Shopfront Youth Theatre in Australia and the Lucy Moses School, Camp Broadway and The New Group in New York.
Tim is also a total nerd and would spend his life as a student if he could. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Theatre & Media)(Honours) from Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, a Bachelor of Music (Composition) from the Australian National University in Canberra, and a Master of Music Theory and Composition from New York University. His teachers include Michael Gordon, Julia Wolfe, Martin Bresnick, Lisa Moore, David Lang, Jim Cotter, Larry Sitsky and Toby Twining.
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