Simon Oswell — A Life in Music

Biography

Simon Oswell was born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1954. He grew up alongside his brother Chris Oswell and his sister Margie Oswell. Margie passed away before him, a loss he carried with him always. In his early days he enjoyed sailing with his father Frank and his brother Chris, and attended Brisbane Grammar School, where he was an age champion for butterfly. It wasn't until he was 15 that he fell in love with music, listening to Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy amongst other works. Naturally he picked up the viola, learning from some of the most prestigious pedagogues in the Australian string world — John Curro AM MBE in Brisbane, before studying with Jan Sedivka at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, where he earned his Diploma and Graduate Diploma in 1975 and 1977.

While in Tasmania he earned early recognition through awards in the National Concerto Competition, and co-founded the Petra String Quartet in 1977, establishing himself as a chamber musician of rare sensitivity and commitment and pioneering many Australian compositions. He later studied at the University of California, San Diego, earning his Masters in Music Performance in 1983. Living in San Diego, he got a taste of film score and session work and recognised the opportunity it presented. He returned to Australia as a lecturer at the Tasmanian Conservatorium before deciding to move to Los Angeles to pursue his love of film music.

During this period between the two countries, he was collaborating with artists from Ensemble I — Spiros Rantos, Brachi Tilles, Thomas Pinchov, Richard Runnells, and Gwyn Roberts — who became lifelong close friends. In 1991, Simon was teaching at the Mt Buller Chamber Music Summer School with Ensemble I when he met Bronwyn, the woman who would become his wife, his partner, and his greatest companion. They married in 1993 and built a life together full of music, laughter, travel, and love. Their three children — Sebastian, Juliet, and Benjamin — were among his deepest sources of pride and joy. He spoke of them constantly, and his love for his family was evident to everyone who knew him.

"A cherished violist whose profound musicianship, warmth, and generous spirit left an indelible mark."
— Australian Festival of Chamber Music

After establishing his family in Los Angeles, Simon's career flourished in ways few musicians experience. He became Principal Viola of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, held the same position at the Carmel Bach Festival for nine years, and at the Mozart Camerata Orchestra for many years, and performed with chamber groups including the Capitol Ensemble and Pacific Serenades. And then there were the recording studios of Hollywood, where he contributed to more than 800 film soundtracks — everything from animated classics to blockbusters, thrillers to period epics. His instrument, a 1740 Gaspare Lorenzini viola crafted in Piacenza, Italy, can be heard in some of the most beloved films ever made.

Beyond film, Simon was one of Hollywood's most sought-after session musicians across every genre of popular music, working on Rod Stewart's celebrated Great American Songbook series, Elton John's Peachtree Road, records by the Black Eyed Peas, Barbra Streisand, Céline Dion, Vanessa Carlton, Bette Midler, LeAnn Rimes, Mary J. Blige, and dozens more — including recording sessions for NFL broadcast music. One of his most treasured credits was playing on the Eagles' legendary Hell Freezes Over concert — one of the best-selling live albums in history, and a moment he spoke of with particular pride. Another personal highlight was playing in the live orchestra for the Academy Awards, a distinction he commemorated with an Oscars hat that remained a fixture in his life long afterwards. His work in the recording studio was as prolific as it was varied, a testament to the trust that conductors, contractors, and artists placed in his musicianship.

But Simon was more than his credentials. He was a warm, generous, opinionated man who had a view on most things and wasn't shy about sharing it — about the world, politics, the environment, and above all, music. His other loves were the water, the beach, sailing, oysters, rugby union, test cricket, and taking the kids to Disneyland and Legoland when the family lived in LA. He was the kind of person who stayed in touch, who reached out, who made the effort. His address book was vast and well-used, and the breadth of his friendships — spanning decades, continents, and every corner of the music world — was a testament to the kind of person he was.

Returning to Australia in 2006, Simon brought that same energy to the country's finest ensembles. He appeared as Guest Principal Viola with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmanian, and Queensland Symphony Orchestras — completing two highly successful European tours with the Melbourne Symphony. He performed regularly with the Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra from 2016, and later in his career was honoured to become a member of the Australian World Orchestra, one of the highest distinctions available to an Australian musician. As a chamber musician he was a cherished collaborator in the Firebird Trio, Wilma and Friends, Ironwood, and the Ormond String Quartet. He taught at the University of Melbourne and served as Artistic Director of Clunes Music in Victoria, a role that reflected his belief in music as something that belongs to everyone.

He remained active and deeply engaged late in his career, performing at major festivals including the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, the Oxford May Music Festival, the North York Moors Festival, and most recently the Long Listen Festival. He tutored the Young Mannheim Symphonists with ARCO, passing on not just technique but a way of being in music that his students will carry with them always.

Simon Oswell left behind a wife, three children, and an extraordinary number of people whose lives are so much richer for having known him.