Sebastian Lorefice - Biography

Keyboardist and composer Sebastian Lorefice is an active and well respected member of Australia’s music community. Based in Melbourne Australia,  his career has encapsulated two interwoven streams of achievement. The first as a performer and composer that began in the early eighties. The second, a 15 year career as an educator and academic.

As an educator Sebastian Lorefice has shared his vast knowledge at several of Melbourne's leading tertiary institutions as a teacher and as a special guest judge.  He has been involved in teaching jazz and popular styles as well as principal study, group performance, improvisation and theory.

His students have been graduates of institutions such as Greensborough T.A.F.E. and music courses that once were once held at Preston  T.A.F. E. and Collingwood T.A.F.E. While there's also been other graduates from the The Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne University. To this day some of these students have gone on to have successful careers as performers, educators and composers.

A graduate of La-Trobe University (1987), academic highlights include a Bachelor of Arts Degree with first class honors and distinctions for performance related subjects. These subjects involved interpretations of jazz standards and original compositions that were performed in a solo or ensemble context. As an undergraduate  he has studied with such luminaries as Dr Jeff Pressing, Professor Keith Humble, Lawrence Whiffin and Joan Lawrence. Special mention to Dr Jeff Pressing the head of jazz studies at that time who supervised all performance related subjects and who also provided private tuition.

Sebastian has also has performed in a variety of  ensembles outside his studies as an undergraduate and as a post graduate. The post university days ( early 90's ) also resulted in an opportunity in taking lessons from the great jazz pianist Micky Tucker.

As a local performer all popular styles (  Pop, Folk, Funk, Jazz-Rock, Modern Jazz ) were performed and approached with an historical overview resulting in accurate interpretations. He has performed at many well known and established venues together with performing at specific festivals. A few amongst many were the Grainstore, State Theatre, Billboard, The Hilton and The Melbourne Arts Festival.

 From a personal view his contemporaries have described him as "extremely knowledgeable", "a gifted composer and performer", "he possesses excellent instrumental skills", "a skilled arranger and teacher" and "liked by all".

From the late nineties to this point in time, Sebastian has dedicated his time to composing. His days of performing ended in 1997 after realizing composing music was his next challenge and career move. Also as a performer, that he had come full circle since his very beginnings in the early eighties.

After this change of direction, Sebastian’s output as a composer has been prolific and diverse. This has involved recordings in several studios and a concentration in creating a repertoire that isn’t one dimensional. Styles such as: Contemporary Jazz; Smooth Jazz ; Ambient ; Pop;  Urban; Dance;  Rock;  Funk ; Classical  and  Electronica have been influences in his music.These ideas have culminated towards producing and composing over 50 compositions and the release of four CD’s. The first " CONSCIOUS ELEMENTS " (1994 - 95 ) with jazz fusion ensemble  RPM. The second, an EP titled " SAMMY " ( 2003 ) which featured Santana inspired guitarist Paul Scodella. The third the electronic jazz based " SHORT STORIES, INFINITE CORRIDORS " ( 2006 ). The last, " ADVENTURES IN WESTGARTH  - THE TOYLAND SESSIONS " ( 2009 ) a collaboration of pop music with guitarist, composer Peter Sinis. All recordings for the " Westgarth " CD occurred between the years 2004 and 2008 at Toyland Studios in Westgarth which is in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. From 2009 to the present, his songwriting and composing still continues.