“ROBINSON COMPOSES
WITH FUN AND FURY.”
– Limelight
I compose punchy classical music driven by momentum. From solo instruments to symphony orchestras, my music explores the speed and intensity of contemporary Australia in our increasingly digital existence.
Through this lens, I explore the relation between chaos and beauty, creating music that is equal parts thrilling, playful and reflective.
Ben Robinson composes classical music with a bold, agile edge.
Spanning chamber and orchestral repertoire, his work gives form to experiences that are difficult to articulate, and creates space to process the beautiful messiness of life. His fiery compositional style has earned him commissions from the Sydney Opera House, the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), Ensemble Apex, and Omega Ensemble.
His recent Clarinet Concertino: Second Chance was named a finalist in the 2026 Art Music Awards for Work of the Year: Large Ensemble. In 2025, he received the 2MBS Fine Music Stefan Kruger Scholarship and was shortlisted by the Australian Music Centre for the 2026 ISCM World New Music Days Festival in Bucharest.
Ben is currently composing his first string quartet in collaboration with Melbourne's Penny Quartet. Building the project from the ground up, they have raised funds to premiere the work in late 2026 ahead of a commercial release in early 2027.
As an arranger, Ben brings contemporary Australian voices into classical spaces. He has reimagined pop-rock band Lime Cordiale’s music for a national tour with all six of Australia's state symphony orchestras, and arranged material for First Nations singer-songwriter Jess Hitchcock’s national Musica Viva Australia tour with Penny Quartet.
A 2019 graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Ben has honed his craft through prestigious initiatives including the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra's Australian Composers' School and Omega Ensemble's CoLAB program. He is an Associate Artist with the Australian Music Centre.
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Finalist: 2026 Art Music Awards
Clarinet Concertino: Second Chance is a finalist in the 2026 Art Music Awards for Work of the Year: Large Ensemble, marking a significant career milestone. The annual ceremony celebrates the creators, performers and organisations shaping Australia’s vibrant art music landscape.
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Project: Penny Quartet × Ben Robinson
A new string quartet and studio release with Melbourne’s Penny Quartet. With the development of String Quartet No. 1: The Lure at its centre, the project will premiere at Sydney’s Phoenix Central Park in November 2026 before a studio release in early 2027 – the debut for all artists involved.
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Recording: Clarinet Concertino
Composed for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra’s brilliant second clarinettist Eloise Fisher, Clarinet Concertino: Second Chance grew from a shared experience of being the underdog. With humour and flair, this 12-minute showpiece pushes back against that idea. It marks the culmination of the two-year Australian Composers’ School program.
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Arrangement: Lime Cordiale
A new arrangement for Aussie band Lime Cordiale live with symphony orchestra. Performing alongside the Sydney, Melbourne, West Australian, Queensland and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, Lime Cordiale closed each set of their national tour with this orchestral adaptation of their hit track Inappropriate Behaviour.
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Virtual scores now available
A new collection of score videos is now available for streaming online. If you are interested in purchasing or commissioning a score, or if you would simply like to explore the repertoire, you can discover both new and old works while delving into the music in greater detail.
