5 Minutes with Dr. Joe Chindamo OAM
Composer "Trio Fantastique" Concert #1 Trio Henri
Thursday March 26 6pm
As a young adult you quickly became one of Australia’s most prominent jazz pianists and musicians.
How did your journey into music begin, and when did composition become a key part of your identity?
My journey began at the age of six on the accordion. It was my first love, and I suppose the start of everything. Composition came later, though I think it was always hiding in the background.
My foray into classical composition really began in 2009, when I started going out with the wonderful violinist Zoë Black. Through her, I was introduced to the elite world of classical music — its discipline, its beauty, its architecture. Writing for her (we made 5 CDs together and even played at the Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York) led me to write for the violin, then string quartet, followed by string orchestra, and eventually full symphony orchestra.
Over time, composition became not just something I did, but part of who I am and now, it actually constitutes the most important means of artistic expression for me. This year alone, I have four new premieres with various orchestras in Australia and am composer-in-residence with the MSO — something I could never have imagined when I started.
Who are the musicians you’ve been most influenced by, both as a performer and a composer?
I’m like a sponge — I soak up everything that moves me. In my (predominantly) jazz years I listened to and played with so many greats: Ray Brown, the Brecker Brothers, Billy Cobham, and countless others who shaped my musical instincts. Billy and I toured and recorded together for about 15 years, and that experience taught me so much about groove, intensity, and presence.
As a composer, I draw from the masters — Bach, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Bartók, Ravel et al — all the great music that feeds the soul. I don’t see boundaries between genres. Music is one great continuum.​
Talk us through your creative process as a composer. Do you rely on intuition and improvisation, or lean more heavily on study?
All of the above. I hear music in my head first — I don’t compose by numbers or formulas. I simply write what I hear. I’ve studied many orchestral scores and continue to do so; analysis is important, it keeps the craft sharp. But when I actually write, it feels more like a séance — I’m channelling something larger than myself. It’s not intellectual at that point. It’s love, intuition, and a kind of surrender.
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Where does your greatest love of music stem from? Is it performance, composition, or self-expression?
I honestly don’t know — it’s just always been there. Music has been my constant, the place where I find peace. Whether I’m performing or composing, I feel the same sense of belonging, as if that’s where I’m meant to be.
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What has music taught you that’s influenced your life beyond it?
Everything. Music teaches you about communication, listening, empathy, and resilience. It mirrors life — love, sorrow, conflict, beauty, and forgiveness. For me, music isn’t separate from life; it’s the very air I breathe.
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What inspired you to compose Trio Fantastique, which is to be performed by Trio Henri at BAMF 2026?
Trio Fantastique was commissioned and premiered by Artaria, a wonderful collective led by oboist Celia Craig. I wanted to write something that felt both playful and sophisticated — something that honoured the French lineage of chamber music (with particular emphasis on its marvellous woodwind tradition) with a modern voice. The oboe, bassoon, and piano are such an elegant combination, full of colour and wit. The title Trio Fantastique is a nod to that spirit — a kind of joyful fantasy in three short movements, written in gratitude for these incredible musicians who bring it to life.
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For further information about Dr. Joe Chindamo OAM please visit: https://joechindamo.com/index.html
​Interview conducted by Catherine Barnett (BAMF Committee) February 2026