Louis Wishart

Biography

“Louis Wishart is a Sydney-based Composer and Musician, whose sound synthesises post-Coleman free-improvisation aesthetics, with industrial music and contemporary Eastern European composition stylings. Graduated in 2023 from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music (Composition), First Class Honors, Louis has honed his craft as an Art Music composer. With a first year full scholarship, Louis has studied closely under leading Australian composition such as Liza Lim, Carl Vine and Gerard Brophy, carving his unique practice in limited-aleatorism. Louis has composed for a wide range of ensembles, from solos and trios all the way to Full Orchestra. Louis is an internationally performed composer, with premieres by ensembles such "AURA Ensemble'' from the Houston Moores School of Music, Ensemble Garage, Sydney Conservatorium of Music Orchestra and New Music Ensemble. Recently, Louis was awarded a scholarship to attend the 2023 Ostrava Days Institute and Festival in the Czech Republic, where he had the opportunity to study closely with leading musical figures such as Roscoe Mitchell, Phill Niblock, Eric Wubbels, George Lewis, Raven Chacon, Annesley Black, Peter Ablinger and Amina Claudine Myers. Louis was also recently awarded the Encouragement Award for the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra Young Composer Award, 2024. Louis is currently preparing for the launch of his Art Music Ensemble "Scalp", set debut March, 2025, with a program feature new Australian composition (one of which by Louis), as well as his arrangement of "John Gavanti", by no-wave bands The Mars and DNA.

Louis also performs regularly with bands in the Sydney Music Scene, notably with the industrial punk band "Angel Grindr '' which has performed alongside the likes of “Justice Yeldham”, which he co-runs with fellow composer and musician Clancy Reynolds. Angel Grindr were recently commissioned by Backstage Music AU to compose a new work to be performed at their concert "IMPOSTO", to which they performed a newly composed live soundtrack to the film "Palindrome" by New York experimentalist Hollis Frampton. Louis also co-runs the alternative music series “Burnt Noise”, which has booked legendary musicians such as Japanese Noise Musician “Defektro”.