Simon Thew, Guest Conductor, studied conducting in Sydney, Vienna, Berlin, and Barcelona with mentors including Richard Bonynge AC CBE, Sebastian Weigle, Nicolette Fraillon, Harry Spence Lyth, and John Hopkins OBE. Simon is the only conductor to have been awarded the Dame Joan Sutherland/Richard Bonynge Travel Scholarship, enabling further study in Europe, culminating in his position as musical intern at the Bayreuth Festival in 2008. In 2010 Simon held the Hephzibah Tintner Fellowship, in 2011 was The Australian Ballet’s Conducting Fellow, and is a Churchill Fellow.

Simon has been an assistant and guest conductor for Opera Australia 2007-2010. In 2010 he made is debut with the Australian Ballet. In 2012 he acted as assistant conductor for The Australian Ballet’s New York tour, and has conducted almost all productions with the company since 2013. In 2014 Simon made his debut with English National Ballet. Simon also leads an active concert conducting career