Mr Simon Hewett

Simon Hewett studied clarinet and conducting at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, graduating with First Class Honours and a University Medal. 

After receiving a German Government Scholarship, Simon continued his conducting studies at the Hochschule für Musik ‘Franz Liszt’ in Weimar, Germany from 1998 to 2001. From 2002 to 2003 he was a member of Opera Australia’s Young Artists’ Programme, and he has since returned regularly to Opera Australia as a guest conductor. In 2005 Simon was invited by Simone Young to join the Hamburg State Opera as Resident Conductor and Assistant Music Director.  From 2010-2016 he was Principal Conductor of the Stuttgart Opera. After conducting the premiere of John Neumeier’s Parsifal at the Baden Baden Festspielhaus in 2006, Simon Hewett was appointed Principal Conductor. In addition his regular performances in Hamburg he has toured with the Hamburg Ballet to the Salzburg Festival, Australia, USA, Hong Kong and Japan. As a symphonic conductor Simon has appeared with the Queensland, Melbourne, Sydney and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. From 2021 he will be Principal Guest Conductor with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. Simon has recently moved with his family back to Brisbane where he has taken on a role as Music Director of the Queensland Youth Orchestra Organisation.