Rowan Yates
Rowan Yates is a conductor, adjudicator and brass musician based in Brisbane, Queensland. He holds a Bachelor of Music (specialising in Performance) from Queensland Conservatorium and has played with a number of A grade bands both interstate and internationally.
A versatile musician, Rowan played baritone for Brisbane Excelsior band for over a decade, with stints on euphonium, trombone and percussion. He has performed as a guest soloist with a number of bands and in several different concert series, as well as in over 40 musicals.
Rowan studied conducting under Dr Peter Morris during his Bachelor and has worked as a guest conductor and clinician for almost ten years with numerous bands and schools in and around Brisbane.
He was the inaugural conductor and the founding member of the Northside Concert Orchestras Jazz Band, which had the honour of receiving a stellar quote from John Morrison at the Brisbane Jazz Festival 2022 that he’d ‘not heard such a powerful driving funk beat from a Jazz band’.
He was the founding conductor of the Northside Concert Orchestras Concert Band, which achieved second place at the Australian National Band Championships (B Grade) in 2019 under his leadership.
Rowan has also conducted several community and school musicals including Grease, Fiddler on the Roof, Wizard of Oz and The Wiz.
He is also an adjudicator and adjudicated several sections of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod in 2023.
He was appointed conductor of South Brisbane Federal Band (A Grade) in 2023.