General Director - Jay Byrnes
Having completed a Bachelor of Music Degree (B.Mus) in 2004 at ‘Sydney Conservatorium of Music' with Mark Walton and James Nightingale, and a Masters of Music Degree (M.Mus) in 2010 at Escola Sup. Música e das Artes do Espectáculo (ESMAE) PORTUGAL. Jay has become a sort after international performer and educator.
From 2001 to 2004 Jay divided his time performing, teaching and lecturing throughout Australia at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Penrith Conservatorium, Orange Conservatorium, and the Yamaha Connect program along with many schools in New South Wales. During this time Jay was invited to become a saxophone teacher in the pioneering field of video conferencing with Mark Walton, where Jay taught students from country Australia through video, allowing students in distant areas the same opportunities as those in the city.
In 2004 Jay toured New Zealand as a performer and lecturer with the Sydney Conservatorium. He was given the role of ‘Supervisor’ for this tour where he performed and taught throughout the south island with the saxophone students of the Sydney Conservatorium. Also during 2004 Jay furthered his study at the ‘European University of the Saxophone’ held in Gap, France, performing in masterclasses and receiving lessons from world class saxophonists Claude Delangle, Arno Bornkamp, Vincent David, Christian Wirth, Fabrizio Mancuso, Philipe Braquart and the Diastema Saxophone Quartet.
After this time Jay spent 2 years teaching, lecturing and performing in Europe with London as
his home base (2004-2007). Jay was head saxophone teacher at ‘The Hall School’, and the ‘City of London Boys School’. He also began working at ‘Howarth of London’ where he trained in instrument and mouthpiece repair and design, as well as being a sales assistant. Jay had the opportunity to lecture at The Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester), Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (Edinburgh), The Purcell School, Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and Northern Sinfonia (Newcastle UK) on the art of saxophone mouthpieces.
Jay also performed in chamber music during this time as tenor saxophonist for the Lunar Saxophone Quartet and as a founding member of Hadj Quartet.
During Jay’s time in Europe he performed at Amsterdam Conservatory, Torino Town Hall (Torino, Italy), World Saxophone Congress (Slovenia), and Gap Cathedral (Gap, France) along with many other venues, being asked by ‘Yanagisawa saxophones’ after his performance in Slovenia to become a UK Yanagisawa endorsee.
In 2006 Jay was accepted into post graduate studies (Masters of music) at the Amsterdam Conservatory, however he declined the offer to continue his busy career as a performer and educator back in Sydney, Australia.
In 2007 Jay moved to Portugal where he completed a Masters of Music degree (M.Mus) (first in class) at ESMAE in Porto, studying under the world’s leading baritone saxophone specialist Henk Van Twillert, as well as Gilberto Bermardes and Fernando Ramos whilst furthering his career as an international soloist performing throughout Europe, South America and Australia. Whilst completing his Masters of Music, Jay moved to Caracas, Venezuela to take up the position of Head Saxophone Professor at Caracas Conservatorio as part of El Sistema, Venezuela. During this time Jay lectured in saxophone throughout Venezuela not only in Caracas but in Barquisimeto and Puerto La Cruz also. Jay held this position from May 2009 until July 2010.
Since moving back to Australia in January 2011 Jay has created the ‘Saxophone Academy Sydney’, He has also become a sought after conductor, conducting the ‘Concert Band’ at Sydney Grammar School and becoming the new Director of the Music ensembles Program at Rose Bay Secondary College. Jay is also busy working as a saxophone tutor at Sydney Grammar School, Scots College as well as many other schools in the Sydney region.
Orchestras and Bands Jay has performed with include Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra (Venezuela), Simon Bolivar Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Penrith Symphony Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, SBS Youth Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Sydney Conservatorium Orchestra as well as ‘The Enormous Horns’ and ‘Wonderbrass’. He has also created the Sydney Saxophone Collective.
Jay is an advocate of chamber music where he has been a founding member of ‘Nexas Saxophone Quartet’, ‘Breathing Winds’, ‘Hadj Saxophone Quartet’, JSB Quartet, ‘Johann Sax Trio’ and ‘Ventos Novos’.
Jay has also worked extensively with new and established composers in promoting new repertoire
for the saxophone premiering works by Stephen Yates, Gijs Van Dijk, Tjako Van Schie, Michael
Jamison, David Slater, David Basden, Mark Oliveiro, Amanda Cole, Margery Smith and Chiel
Mejering.
From 2001 to 2004 Jay divided his time performing, teaching and lecturing throughout Australia at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Penrith Conservatorium, Orange Conservatorium, and the Yamaha Connect program along with many schools in New South Wales. During this time Jay was invited to become a saxophone teacher in the pioneering field of video conferencing with Mark Walton, where Jay taught students from country Australia through video, allowing students in distant areas the same opportunities as those in the city.
In 2004 Jay toured New Zealand as a performer and lecturer with the Sydney Conservatorium. He was given the role of ‘Supervisor’ for this tour where he performed and taught throughout the south island with the saxophone students of the Sydney Conservatorium. Also during 2004 Jay furthered his study at the ‘European University of the Saxophone’ held in Gap, France, performing in masterclasses and receiving lessons from world class saxophonists Claude Delangle, Arno Bornkamp, Vincent David, Christian Wirth, Fabrizio Mancuso, Philipe Braquart and the Diastema Saxophone Quartet.
After this time Jay spent 2 years teaching, lecturing and performing in Europe with London as
his home base (2004-2007). Jay was head saxophone teacher at ‘The Hall School’, and the ‘City of London Boys School’. He also began working at ‘Howarth of London’ where he trained in instrument and mouthpiece repair and design, as well as being a sales assistant. Jay had the opportunity to lecture at The Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester), Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (Edinburgh), The Purcell School, Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and Northern Sinfonia (Newcastle UK) on the art of saxophone mouthpieces.
Jay also performed in chamber music during this time as tenor saxophonist for the Lunar Saxophone Quartet and as a founding member of Hadj Quartet.
During Jay’s time in Europe he performed at Amsterdam Conservatory, Torino Town Hall (Torino, Italy), World Saxophone Congress (Slovenia), and Gap Cathedral (Gap, France) along with many other venues, being asked by ‘Yanagisawa saxophones’ after his performance in Slovenia to become a UK Yanagisawa endorsee.
In 2006 Jay was accepted into post graduate studies (Masters of music) at the Amsterdam Conservatory, however he declined the offer to continue his busy career as a performer and educator back in Sydney, Australia.
In 2007 Jay moved to Portugal where he completed a Masters of Music degree (M.Mus) (first in class) at ESMAE in Porto, studying under the world’s leading baritone saxophone specialist Henk Van Twillert, as well as Gilberto Bermardes and Fernando Ramos whilst furthering his career as an international soloist performing throughout Europe, South America and Australia. Whilst completing his Masters of Music, Jay moved to Caracas, Venezuela to take up the position of Head Saxophone Professor at Caracas Conservatorio as part of El Sistema, Venezuela. During this time Jay lectured in saxophone throughout Venezuela not only in Caracas but in Barquisimeto and Puerto La Cruz also. Jay held this position from May 2009 until July 2010.
Since moving back to Australia in January 2011 Jay has created the ‘Saxophone Academy Sydney’, He has also become a sought after conductor, conducting the ‘Concert Band’ at Sydney Grammar School and becoming the new Director of the Music ensembles Program at Rose Bay Secondary College. Jay is also busy working as a saxophone tutor at Sydney Grammar School, Scots College as well as many other schools in the Sydney region.
Orchestras and Bands Jay has performed with include Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra (Venezuela), Simon Bolivar Symphonic Wind Orchestra, Penrith Symphony Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, SBS Youth Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Sydney Conservatorium Orchestra as well as ‘The Enormous Horns’ and ‘Wonderbrass’. He has also created the Sydney Saxophone Collective.
Jay is an advocate of chamber music where he has been a founding member of ‘Nexas Saxophone Quartet’, ‘Breathing Winds’, ‘Hadj Saxophone Quartet’, JSB Quartet, ‘Johann Sax Trio’ and ‘Ventos Novos’.
Jay has also worked extensively with new and established composers in promoting new repertoire
for the saxophone premiering works by Stephen Yates, Gijs Van Dijk, Tjako Van Schie, Michael
Jamison, David Slater, David Basden, Mark Oliveiro, Amanda Cole, Margery Smith and Chiel
Mejering.