Adam Jeffrey – Australian Percussionist, Conductor and Writer

Biography

Australian percussionist Adam Jeffrey has earned an impressive reputation as a versatile musician comfortable in a variety of settings. Over a 15-year career, with significant stints in three European nations, he has gained a solid list of musical credentials.

An accomplished orchestral player, he has performed and toured extensively with ensembles such as the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, Israel Philharmonic, Finnish Radio Symphony, Verbier Chamber Orchestra and the Estonian Festival Orchestra.
He was Principal Timpanist with the Estonian National Opera from 2014-18, and has held performing contracts with the Melbourne Symphony (2018), Bern Symphony (2012-14) and the Sydney Symphony (2007-8). Since 2019 he has been regularly engaged as Guest Principal Timpani with the Sydney Symphony.

His interest in contemporary music has seen him perform with a number of acclaimed international ensembles, including Synergy Percussion, Asko/Schönberg, Lunatree and Ensemble SCALA, as well as at festivals presented by Ensemble Modern and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. Through these associations, he has worked closely with contemporary music luminaries such as Enno Poppe, Brian Ferneyhough, Oliver Knussen, Louis Andriessen, Theo Loevendie and Reinbert de Leeuw.

A frequent chamber music collaborator, he has presented chamber recitals in Amsterdam, Den Haag, Innsbruck, Stuttgart, Sydney, Tallinn and Zürich. As concerto soloist, he gave the world premiere of Freeman McGrath’s Percussion Concerto with The Queensland Orchestra in 2008.

More recently, he has pursued an active interest in orchestral conducting, participating in a range of international masterclasses and working with a variety of youth ensembles in Australia and Europe.

Adam holds a Master’s Degree from the Zurich College of the Arts, Switzerland (ZHdK), where he studied in the class of Rainer Seegers, Solo-Timpanist of the Berlin Philharmonic. He also holds qualifications from the Conservatory of Amsterdam, the University of Sydney and the Australian National University.