Amy Dickson

Twice nominated for a Grammy™ award, British-Australian Amy Dickson has been acknowledged by BBC Music Magazine as one of the world’s six best classical saxophonists ever.

Amy has recorded eight solo albums for Sony Music. Recognised for her remarkable, distinctive tone and exceptional musicality, she made history by becoming the first saxophonist to win a Classic BRIT Award, for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and in 2016 she was named the UK’s Young Australian of the Year.

Amy began her musical studies at the age of two and took her first saxophone lesson in Sydney aged six. She made her concerto debut at 16, and on her 18th birthday made her first recording as soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. That year she moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music, then at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

As well as receiving the James Fairfax Australian Young Artist of the Year award, she was the first ever saxophonist to win the Gold Medal at the Royal Overseas League Competition, the Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year Competition and the Prince’s Prize. 

Dickson is a brilliant interpreter of contemporary music and is devoted to the development of new repertoire for the classical saxophone. Working closely with many living composers, she has already made a substantial contribution to the legacy of the instrument’s concerto, chamber and solo repertoire.

Amy’s raison d’être is her own Take A Breath wellbeing programme. Amy conducts breathing workshops and gives schools concerts wherever she can. As well as introducing children to classical music, often for the first time, Take a Breath helps equip young children with the tools to recognise stress and to build resilience to help combat it, using a simple and discreet relaxed breathing technique.

Photo credit: Christian Mushenko