Saxophonist Amy Dickson began lessons at the age of six and made her concerto debut ten years later. Recognized widely for her remarkable and distinctive tone and exceptional musicality, she has performed throughout the world, in venues such as the Wigmore Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Sydney Opera House, as a soloist with many orchestras including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra.


Now based in London, Dickson was born in Sydney where she made her concerto debut aged 16, playing the Dubois Concerto with Henryk Pisarek and the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra and subsequently became a recipient of the James Fairfax Australian Young Artist of the Year award. On her 18th birthday she recorded the Dubois Divertissement with John Harding and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The following year she moved to London where she took the Jane Melber Scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music with Kyle Horch, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Arno Bornkamp. During this time she became the first saxophonist to win major competitions including the Gold Medal at the Royal Overseas League Competition, the Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year Competition, and the Prince’s Prize.



In 2005 and 2011 she performed for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings at the Teatru Manoel in Valetta, Malta and the Perth Concert Hall, Australia. She has also performed at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh; St James’ Palace, London and for former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard at Parliament House, Canberra. In great demand as a recitalist, she has worked with pianists Catherine Milledge and Martin Cousin in venues including the Wigmore Hall, the Bridgewater Hall, and in festivals throughout the world.



Dickson has released two critically acclaimed recordings on the Sony Music RCA Red Seal label. Her first, Smile, was released in 2008 and led Ivan March of Gramophone magazine to write:



"She has an individual and unusual tone, luscious, silky-smooth, sultry and voluptuous by turns; her phrasing is beautifully finished, her control of dynamic infinitely subtle. She plays very songfully, is often gentle and restrained, at times sounding like the chalumeaux of a clarinet. But she can rise to a passionate climax, as in Danza de la moza donosa, or slinkily respond to Debussy's La plus que lente."



Her second album, Glass, Tavener, Nyman, comprises of the Violin Concerto No. 1 by Philip Glass and The Protecting Veil by John Tavener, both arranged by Dickson. It also includes Where the Bee Dances by Michael Nyman.



Dickson has made a number of world premiere recordings. With the Royal Scottish National Orchestra she has recorded Holbrooke’s saxophone concerto and Bennett’s Seven Country Dances. She has also made recordings of McDowall’s concerto Dancing Fish, Larsson’s Konzert and Dubois’ Divertissment, and has appeared on Bollywood composer Mithoon Sharma’s album Tu Hi Mere Rab Ki Tarah Hai. With the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra she has recorded Williams’ Escapades, Kamen’s Concerto for Saxophone and an arrangement of Knopfler’s music from the film Local Hero, arranged by Jessica Wells. In 2012 Dickson recorded Edwards’ Full Moon Dances live at the Sydney Opera House, with Miguel Harth-Bedoya and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. This recording will be available in late 2013.



Dickson is deeply committed to the development of new repertoire for the saxophone, whilst also championing existing repertoire. She regularly commissions new works, and makes arrangements of existing works from other instrumental repertoire. She has made a substantial contribution to the orchestral, chamber and solo repertoire. Composers who have written for her include Ross Edwards, Peter Sculthorpe, Graham Fitkin, Steve Martland and Huw Watkins.



Amy Dickson is an ambassador of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation, the Prince’s Trust, and is a Selmer Paris Performing Artist. She has a great love of fashion and is dressed by Armani.