About
Tim White OAM is a Senior Lecturer in Music and Coordinator of Classical Music at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) at Edith Cowan University. He leads WAAPA's percussion program and directs the award-winning 'Defying Gravity' percussion ensemble. White has been with WAAPA since 1994 and previously served as Principal Percussionist of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra for 28 years.
Tim White holds two Masters degrees in music performance (from Sydney Conservatorium and University of Western Australia), a Meister-Diplom from Hochschule fuer Musik Wuerzburg in Germany, and has received prestigious awards including a Churchill Fellowship (1999), German Government DAAD Scholarship (1991-93), and a Fulbright Scholar Award (2021). In 2021, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to music.
White's research focuses on contemporary percussion, new music, multi-genre collaboration, orchestral music, the art of performance, performance psychology, and music education. His work explores how music's energy and joy can nurture imaginations, touch souls, enrich lives, and transform communities. As Coordinator of Classical Music, he oversees all of WAAPA's classical ensembles and supervises postgraduate students.
Tim White has directed numerous percussion festivals and projects, including the Australian Youth Orchestra's National Music Camp (2010) and the Australian National Academy of Music's 'Rhythms of Life' festival (2003). His ensemble Defying Gravity has performed over 550 concerts, presented more than 120 world premieres, and represented Australia internationally.
- Medal of the Order of Australia (2021)
- Australian Award for Teaching Excellence (2015)
- ECU Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching (2014)
- Churchill Fellowship (1999)
- Fulbright Scholar Award (2021)
- German Government DAAD Scholarship (1991-93)
White has supervised numerous postgraduate students, with eighty of his percussion graduates now enjoying full-time careers as professional musicians. His students have achieved remarkable success, with many working in prestigious ensembles like Cirque du Soleil, Tetrafide Percussion, and major symphony orchestras across Australia. He has also received significant research grants supporting his creative work in percussion performance and education.
As director of Defying Gravity, White leads one of Australia's most exciting and longest-established new music ensembles. The group has performed for Queen Elizabeth II at the CHOGM opening ceremony, represented Australia at international percussion conferences, and created innovative performances that blend traditional and contemporary percussion techniques from around the world.
