Joshua Hatcher is a saxophonist and composer with a style based firmly in the jazz tradition. He was one of the 10 finalists in the 2016 National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Jazz and Blues Festival and has performed with some of Australia’s finest musicians including Dale Barlow, Andrew Dickeson, Warwick Alder, Ben Hauptmann and Steve Newcomb.
His album “Now and Then” (2015) marks his debut recording as a leader and features original compositions for his quintet. 2 selections from this recording (Forgotten Languages, The Room Next Door) were finalists in the Jazz category at the 2016 Queensland Music Awards.
In 2016 he was named Composer-in-Residence for the West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra (WAYJO) and premiered some of his new large ensemble compositions at the Perth International Jazz Festival. He is also Musical Director for the Enthusiastic Musician’s Orchestra and has had his compositions and arrangements recorded on their 2 most recent albums.
Since 2012 he has been a lecturer at Brisbane’s Jazz Music Institute teaching saxophone, improvisation, theory and ensemble playing. He is also regularly engaged as a big band clinician and guest director by schools and community organisations. He is currently undertaking a Master of Music (Research) at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music investigating the intersection of compositional and improvisational practices.