Oscar Neyland is a contemporary double bassist from nipaluna/Hobart, Tasmania. Currently he is living and working on unceded wurundjeri/boon wurrung land in naarm/Melbourne, Victoria, in so-called Australia.
Oscar's own music draws from a wide range of influences; Throughout his career, his musical interests have ranged from local to global, taking particular interest in contemporary Jazz, traditional Korean and Indigenous Australian music. These interests have seen him learn and perform around Australia, in Norway and Japan.
Oscar has completed a Bachelor of Music (2011) from UTAS, and has a First Class Honours Degree in Music Performance from Monash University (2013) supervised by Professor Tony Gould. He has studied primarily with Nick Tsiavos, Haakon Thelin, Ben Robertson, Nick Haywood and Nigel Hope. Oscar attended the Australian Art Orchestra Intensives in 2016 and 2017.
Oscar performs in an ever changing range of different ensembles and genres around Australia both as a leader and sideman. He has performed with national and international musicians, and across stages of all different sizes.
I grew up in Hobart, Tasmania thinking I would be the next Victor Wooten, spending every waking minute learning flashy techniques on the electric bass. But a wrist injury took the electric bass from me for six months, during which I picked up a double bass for the first time - I haven't looked back.
As a child, my dad had always played me music like B.B. King, Midnight Oil, Louis Armstrong, The Band Who Knew Too Much, and my mum was often listening to Nick Cave, Keith Jarrett or Jan Garbarek. When I discovered improvisation I realised that I had an opportunity to make a career within this music that I had grown up with. Ever since then I've been seeking a deeper connection to my instrument and the music it can create. I moved to Melbourne in 2013 as a part of this journey and have lived here ever since, giving everything I can to the city and learning everything it has to offer. I have toured Australia extensively, played at festivals around the country, studied in Norway and performed in Japan.
In 2022 I'm taking a breather from some projects as I adjust into life as a new father.
If you would like to get in touch about anything, please email me at oscarneylandmusic@gmail.com or follow the social links below.