Brendan, tell us about your start in music.
It was Year 5 at St Laurence's College, South Brisbane. I had a few teachers in the beginning but the one who made an impact was Alison Cook.
Why did you want to learn music?
I was lucky enough to hear Paul Dean play once when he performed a concert at our school, and I was totally inspired.
Music is a big part of your life, but what else do you enjoy?
Video games on wii and poker.
Do you have any favourite pieces of music?
As a soloist it would have to be Weber's 2nd Clarinet Concerto but anything by Strauss or Mahler is great to play with an orchestra.
So what's on your ipod?
Mostly classical music, but I also love Powderfinger, Greenday, U2, Jet and Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Brendan's profile
Brendan Toohey graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2010, achieving a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours in Performance.
He has performed as a clarinettist and bass clarinettist with the:
Queensland Symphony OrchestraQueensland Youth SymphonyQueensland Wind OrchestraQueensland Philanthropic OrchestraBrisbane Philharmonic Orchestra, andNorthern Rivers Symphony Orchestra.Brendan has also performed in musical theatre productions of 42nd Street, Oliver and My Fair Lady.
In 2011, Brendan won 1st Prize in the Australian Clarinet and Saxophone Conference Competition in Melbourne, and 1st Prize in the Queensland Clarinet and Saxophone Society Competition in Brisbane.
2011 has also seen Brendan complete auditions for the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute (AISOI) in Hobart, the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) in Canberra and the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) in Melbourne.
Brendan is inspired by numerous professional orchestral clarinettists, such as his teacher, Brian Catchlove, the Associate Principal Clarinettist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
One of Brendan's most memorable musical performances was playing Principal Bass Clarinet in the Australian premier of Havergal Brian's Gothic Symphony (QPAC, 2010).
Brendan hopes to continue his passion for music by performing clarinet professionally with more symphony orchestras around Australia and overseas.
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