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Conductor Tom Woods is widely considered to be one of the leading talents in Australia's musical life. He has established a reputation conducting symphonic concerts, opera and ballet.  Born in Tanzania to Australian parents, Tom grew up in Perth, Western Australia, studying conducting, cello and piano at the West Australian Conservatorium before undertaking conducting studies in Moscow under Maestro Vladimir Ponkin. He conducted the Garmonia and Kompositor orchestras in Moscow before returning to Australia and joining Opera Australia.

Between 1993 and 1997, Tom was Assistant Conductor for over sixty operas, assisting such maestri as Richard Hickox, Simone Young, Christopher Hogwood, Sir Charles Mackerras, Richard Bonynge and Carlo Felice Cillario.  He became one of the youngest conductors in the company's history with his debut A Midsummer Night's Dream at age 23, to critical acclaim. Subsequent operas with Opera Australia, in particular Il Barbiere di Siviglia and La Traviata, received outstanding reviews.

Tom has conducted for the West Australian Opera and Opera Queensland as well as continuing to work for Opera Australia where he conducted Un Ballo in Maschera in 2002. Other operas conducted include Les Dialogues des Carmelites, The Cunning Little Vixen, Gianni Schicchi, La Fille du Regiment, Patience, The Gondoliers, The Mikado, Die Fledermaus and Die Lustige Witwe.

In Australia, Tom has conducted the Sydney Symphony Sinfonia, West Australian Symphony, Queensland Symphony, Queensland Philharmonic, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, State Orchestra of Victoria, Sydney Opera House Orchestra and was the Artistic Director of the Sydney Youth Orchestra until 2005.

He has conducted in Hong Kong and Russia, and in 2001, conducted the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and the London Festival Orchestra on tour to Brunei, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, as well as touring the Sydney Youth Orchestra to Denmark and Sweden.

In 2002, Tom Woods conducted Un Ballo in Maschera for Opera Australia and Sleeping Beauty for Queensland Ballet.  In 2003, he conducted A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Opera Australia, The Little Mermaid and Excalibur for Queensland Ballet, Orchestra Victoria in a series of operatic and chamber concerts and led the Australian Youth Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia in two world premieres – John Taverner’s Lament for Jerusalem and Matthew Hindson’s Symphony No. 1.  Later in 2003, he made his debut with The Australian Ballet in performances of The Three Musketeers.

In 2004, Tom conducted the Queensland Ballet in Peer Gynt, Orchestra Victoria in Opera in the Markets and Willoughby Symphony Orchestra in Bach’s B Minor Mass.  He also led Opera Australia’s world premiere performances of Madeline Lee, conducted Messiah with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and continued as Artistic Director of the SYO.

In Opera Australia’s 2005 and 2006 seasons, Tom conducted seasons of La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Turandot and Carmen.  In 2007, he conducted a new season-highlight production of Andre Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire and La Traviata for Opera Australia and travelled to Adelaide for Il Barbiere di Sivilglia with State Opera of South Australia; Tom also conducted concerts with the Christchurch Symphony and led many performances by the Australian Ballet.