AB Workshops

As a classical saxophone soloist Amy Dickson is internationally recognised for her remarkable, distinctive tone and exceptional musicality.

Gramophone Magazine writes: “She has an individual and unusual tone, luscious, silky smooth, sultry and voluptuous by turns; her phrasing is beautifully finished, her control of dynamic infinitely subtle.”

She has been an exclusive Sony Music recording artist since 2007 and has since recorded eight solo albums and many singles. As a soloist, she has performed with orchestras worldwide and recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Amy Dickson appears regularly in international chamber music festivals, is invited to give masterclasses and talks throughout the world and has been appeared several times on ABC TV, BBC TV and the BBC World Service, ITV, PBS and NHK.

Amy Dickson was born in Sydney, Australia. She studied at the Royal College of Music and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and has resided in London ever since. She made history by becoming the first saxophonist ever to win the following prizes: the Prince’s Prize, the Royal Overseas League Gold Medal, the Australian Young Performer of the Year Award, and a Classical BRIT award. She has been nominated for two Grammy awards, and in 2016 she was named Young Australian of the Year at Australia House, London. In April 2022, Amy was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Music receiving her honour from King Charles III. Amy Dickson has been acknowledged by BBC Music Magazine as one of the world’s best classical saxophonists of all time.

Amy Dickson is a brilliant interpreter of contemporary music and is devoted to the development of new repertoire for the classical saxophone. She has made a substantial contribution to the legacy of the instrument’s concerto, chamber and solo repertoire, working closely with many living composers, including Peter Sculthorpe, Huw Watkins, Steve Martland, Nigel Hess, Ross Edwards, Richard Blackford, Kenneth Fuchs, Stuart Greenbaum, Elena Kats-Chernin, Ivan Moody, Tarik O’Regan, Chris Rogerson, Toby Young, Alexis Ffrench, Jessica Wells, Carl Davis, Graham Fitkin, Graham Koehne, Martin Butler and Brett Dean. In 2020, 29 new solo works were dedicated to her, as part of the ‘Solo Sessions’ project.

Amy’s raison d’être is her Take a Breath wellbeing programme. As well as introducing children to classical music, sometimes for the first time, Take a Breath equips young children with the tools they need to recognise stress and anxiety, and to build resilience to help combat it, using a simple and discreet relaxed breathing technique.

Amy is a proud ambassador of the Australian Children’s Music Foundation and the Prince’s Trust.