Romanos specialises in the great classical and romantic repertoire of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries — symphonic and operatic. However, his reach is broad and encompasses early and contemporary music as well. He has given many world premieres.
Romanos has worked with orchestras, and opera and ballet companies in Europe, Britain, and Australasia.
Currently, Romanos is with Eternity Opera in Wellington as their General Music Director.
Watch Simon Romanos conduct The Marriage of Figaro – Overture, Eternity Opera
Conducting European and Australasian orchestras
Romanos has worked with national and state ensembles around the world, including:
- the Vienna Chamber Orchestra
- English National Ballet
- the Australian Ballet
- Australian Opera
- Stuttgart State Opera
- London Mozart Players
- Auckland Philharmonia
- Orchestra Wellington.
He has recorded with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra for ABC Records.
Contemporary music — giving world premières
Romanos has worked with contemporary composers, and given world premières of many pieces by composers including:
- Iannis Xenakis
- Franco Donatoni
- Tomislav Zografski
- John Rimmer
- Anne Boyd
- Haydn Reeder.
Respected expertise — artistic director roles
Romanos has been appointed Artistic Director and Artistic Advisor of festivals and ensembles in London and Australia, including:
- The Royal Academy of Music Composer Festival (Franco Donatoni 70th birthday) in Dukes’ Hall London
- London Mozart Players/Roger Woodward Festival in Queen Elizabeth Hall
- The Sydney Spring Festival of Contemporary Music and Arts
- The Wellington Spring.
Innovative musical collaborations
In London, Romanos collaborated with musicians in many genres, on concerts and albums. He worked with musicians including:
- Britain’s leading jazz pianist Julian Joseph
- Brazilian concert pianist Marcelo Bratke
- Macedonian composer Nikola Kodjabashia
- Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski.
Scholarships and mentorships under world leaders
At the end of his bachelor studies, Romanos won scholarships to study opera conducting with John Hopkins, Myer Fredman, Sir Charles Mackerras, and Carlo Felice Cillario.
He then travelled to Britain, working with his mentors Sir Georg Solti, Sir Colin Davis, and Peter Eötvös.
Study with leading New Zealand composers
Romanos studied composition and orchestration with David Farquhar and Douglas Lilburn at Victoria University of Wellington.
