Julius Schwing
Musician and Composer
About Julius
Julius Schwing is an award winning improvising guitarist and composer from Bruny Island, Lutruwita/Tasmania.
Born in Vienna, he started playing guitar at age nine and since the age of thirteen has performed in Australia, Europe, India, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, including at the Nelson Arts Festival (NZ), Adelaide Fringe Festival, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, MONA FOMA, Dark MOFO, Faux Mo, Perth International Jazz Festival, Falls Festival and 10 Days on the Island.
He has three times been nominated for the prestigious Freedman Jazz Fellowship and placed 3rd in the 2022 National Jazz Awards.
Julius was recently awarded a state luminary APRA/AMCOS Art Music Award.
Articles by Julius
Nature as music
A lot of our music is very much to a beat that's super regular, and it feels quite grid-like. Through Nature, you can start to feel a pulse, writes Bruny Island composer and guitarist Julius Schwing. It's more like a cycle. The sound of Nature is as incredible as the visual aspect.
A thriving island arts community
Growing up on Bruny Island was incredible. There's a strong community of people engaged in making art that is kind of born of the island. And a lot of people come here and it just ignites something in them to make art. Different art, Bruny art, writes resident composer and guitarist Julius Schwing.
An irreplaceable connection to place
I really enjoy watching it all happen. Just slowly, observing the cycles. I really notice the bird life, because that comes to your door. Then, there's a lot of marine life. It's a big part of every day, reflects composer and guitarist Julius Schwing, on his connection to Nature and a childhood spent "amongst it all" on Bruny Island.