Jabra Latham

Jabra Latham holds a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours. His performances have included work with the Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra, T asmanian Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Saxophone Quartet, Gilmour Ensemble, Hobart Chamber Orchestra and the University of Tasmania Wind Orchestra.

Graduating with first class honours in classical saxophone performance in 1999, Jabra’s studies at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, The Australian National Academy of Music and the Rascher Mastercourse in Germany have enabled him to work with a number of exceptional saxophonoists, including Barry Cockcroft, Marie-Bernadette Charrier, Margery Smith and Christine Rall. Jabra has performed as principal saxophone with the Tasmanian Symphony and the Malaysia Philharmonic orchestras as well as soloist with orchestras including the Hobart Chamber Orchestra and the University of Tasmania Wind Orchestra. He has presented original and standard concerti by Glasunov, Dubois, Smith, Reed and Gilmour. As a freelance artist his performances have included the Wild Edge Music Festival, Circus Elysium, Fringe Festival, Opera and the Ocean and the Royal Wedding celebrations in Denmark. As a member of the Gilmour Ensemble Latham can be heard frequently on ABC Classic FM and has twice broadcast for Sunday Live.

Jabra has recently returned to Australia after a successful international study tour, made possible by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. Awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2006, Latham visited the USA, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and France investigating practices in classical saxophone teaching and performance. Meeting with a number of world’s leading saxophonists Latham took the opportunity to perform, observe, attend conferences, participate in masterclasses. He aims to continuing working and performing in Tasmania, providing expert support for students and encouraging and presenting accessable Australian music.

Currently Jabra divides his time between performing, instucting in saxophone at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and Friends School, and specialising in teaching students with behavioural difficulties for the Department of Education.