Antony Field is a brilliant performer and teacher of international standing and has been an advocate for new Australian guitar music since beginning his studies in 1992. He was a founding member of high profile ensembles ‘Saffire’ and ‘Duo Australis’ and has been instrumental in premiering many new Australian works in Australia and overseas.
Antony graduated from the Canberra School of Music with 1st Class Honours as ‘Most Outstanding Graduate’ for the Class of 1995. Antony achieved various accolades while studying including several first prizes in chamber music competitions and winning 2nd prize twice at the Darwin International Guitar Competition in 1993 and 1995. It was while studying that Antony forged a musical relationship with Sally Walker to later form ‘Duo Australis’ which began premiering new works as early as 1992. After completing formal studies in 1996 Antony was awarded a ‘Big Brother’ scholarship to study in the UK which he used to receive tuition from Royal College of Music’s Head of Guitar Gordon Crosskey and Manhattan School of Music’s Chair of Guitar David Starobin.
Returning to Australia at age 22 Antony’s debut CD ‘Sunburst’ was recorded and nominated for an ARIA and was released internationally through Tower Records. Shortly after this Antony was invited to become a member of the long standing guitar ensemble Guitar Trek based in Canberra however Antony decided to move to Melbourne to take up the position of Head of Guitar at the Victorian College of the Arts where he has since performed in various ensembles on the electric and classical guitars appearing in contemporary ensembles and premiering new works for Chamber Made Opera and Chamber Music Australia. In 2003 and 2004 Antony also recorded two top selling CDs for ABC Classics with “Saffire’ the first CD winning an ARIA for ‘Best Classical Album 2003’.
Antony has toured extensively as a soloist performing in Slovakia, New Zealand, and the UK as well as Australia. As part of ‘Duo Australis’ he has toured Germany and Austalia and with ‘Saffire’ he has completed two extensive tours of Australia.
Recently Antony was awarded a highly competitive Australian Postgraduate Award to undertake a Masters in Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts.