Jarrod Butler’s diverse work as instrumentalist (clarinet, saxophone), conductor, and teacher is unified by his commitment to achieving excellence and celebrating music’s power to unite.
With over a decade’s rich experience in his field, Jarrod is celebrated for his inspirational methods of communicating music’s big ideas to young instrumentalists. He is in demand as a teacher and conductor, tutoring members of the Melbourne Youth Orchestras since 2014 and currently employed as Head of Bands, Brass, and Woodwind at one of Melbourne’s leading primary and secondary education institutions.
Fuelled by his passion for providing educational opportunities to students living in regional and remote areas of Australia, Jarrod has Directed community music partnership programs for The University of Melbourne’s Conservatorium of Music and tutors students from all over Australia at the annual Border Music Camp in Albury, NSW.
Jarrod’s broad array of skills, knowledge of musical styles, and trademark warmth of character underpins his work at the helm of ensembles. Maintaining a strong professional association with the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association (ABODA), Jarrod is committed to ongoing peer learning opportunities. As at home onstage in Australia as he is on Asia’s most revered performance venues, Jarrod has appeared internationally in Singapore and China with The University of Melbourne.
A champion of contemporary repertoire, Jarrod has a special interest in western art music. A no-holds-barred passion for experimental and jazz styles creates a unique foundation from which Jarrod is able to explore and share his love of composers such as the legendary Steve Reich whose work Jarrod has explored deeply in contexts both formal and less so. Jarrod’s unique insight into contemporary music’s educational offerings facilitate his hallmark approach to breaking down musical barriers and affording access to contemporary music by people of all levels of experience.
Jarrod holds a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (University of Melbourne) completed under Senior Lecturer in Clarinet, David Griffiths and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Associate Principal Clarinet, Philip Arkinstall. He is the proud owner of two Backun MoBa cocobolo/silver clarinets designed and made in Vancouver, Canada by Morrie Backun.
Jarrod Butler 