Frederick Johnston-Horstman (just Fred is fine) is a young composer and instrumentalist based in Boorloo (Perth). He was born in Turrbal Country (Brisbane) but has spent a majority of his musical career on Whadjuk Noongar Boodja.
Diversity and inclusion is the crux of his musicianship, being a proud genderqueer man and advocate for adequate representation of artists and repertoire. As of 2024 he is the director for Ensemble Neoteric, a new music ensemble/workshop exclusively for gender diverse and intersex composers and musicians. This project was instigated by both personal experiences with explicit bigotry in ensembles and education, as well as the experiences of colleagues and friends in the Jazz and Western Art Music scenes.
As an instrumentalist, he is above all else a trombonist, specializing in Bass Trombone. In the decade he has been playing, he has had the opportunity to explore every form of ensemble imaginable, including orchestra, big band, wind band, improvised acoustic noise, and jazz combos to name a few. These varied experiences
Diversity and inclusion is the crux of his musicianship, being a proud genderqueer man and advocate for adequate representation of artists and repertoire. As of 2024 he is the director for Ensemble Neoteric, a new music ensemble/workshop exclusively for gender diverse and intersex composers and musicians. This project was instigated by both personal experiences with explicit bigotry in ensembles and education, as well as the experiences of colleagues and friends in the Jazz and Western Art Music scenes.
As an instrumentalist, he is above all else a trombonist, specializing in Bass Trombone. In the decade he has been playing, he has had the opportunity to explore every form of ensemble imaginable, including orchestra, big band, wind band, improvised acoustic noise, and jazz combos to name a few. These varied experiences
Past Performances and Projects
2023
Triumph and Tragedy - A2 Orchestra
- Principal Bass Trombone
State Concert Band Competition - Darling Range Wind Ensemble - Bass Trombone
- Guest call-in, Awarded B-Grade Champions
WAYJO 40 Year Anniversary - Studio Underground - Bass Trombone
- WNO with guest artists Catherine Noblet (Bone), Lucy Iffla (Vocals), and Zero Emcee (Rap Artist)
ROSL Orchestral Composition - WAAPA WSO - Bass Trombone/Tuba double
- Played and Recorded five new orchestral compositions with conductors from the PSO "Women on the Podium" program
Adeline and Edward Lead Sheets - York Musical by Robert Garton Smith
- 26 Lead Sheets and transcriptions presented for professional use
The Hits of Paul Simon: Reimagined - Spiegel Tent WAAPA - Solo and Ensemble Vocals
- WAAPA Jazz Vocal ensemble presents arrangements of Paul Simon's best known works
The Groove Merchants: Tessie Overmyer Plays Thad Jones - WA Regional Tour - Bass Trombone
- WAYJO's WNO travelled Perth's most outer regions
2022
Emiliano Sampaio - Forest Chase Perth International Jazz Festival - Bass Trombone
- WAYJO's WNO performed debut original works for big band by Brazilian composer Emiliano Sampaio
Gian Slater in Concert - Spiegel Tent WAAPA - Vocals
- WAAPA Jazz Vocal ensemble collaborated with Gian Slater on original pieces for vocal choir including a cappella charts
Beats and Pieces: From Latin to Electro - The Rechabite - Bass Trombone
- WAYJO's TNO and WNO combined to provide a night of dancing and drums. This gig featured guest artists including Adolfo Chavez in the Latin set, and rapper Zero Emcee with some fresh beats
Jessica Carlton Plays the Music of Kenny Wheeler - Lyric's Underground - Bass Trombone
- From Brass chorales to swingers, Kenny Wheeler threw it all at WAYJO's WNO ft the phenomenal Jess Carlton
2021
WAYJO Swings – WAAPA Sings! - Quarry Ampitheatre - Bass Trombone and Vocals
- A combination of Jazz, Gospel, and Contempory wildness featuring a world's worth of young musicians
Peruano Canta - Spiegel Tent WAAPA - Vocals
- The WAAPA Jazz Vocal and Afro-Peruvian ensemble joined forces to bring a new meaning to Festejo!
Kate Pass: Kohesia & the Far East Suite - The Rechabite - Bass Trombone
- Kate Pass's Kohesia ensemble expanded to big band to bring a new fusion of Persian Jazz
Bullhorn Brass - Fremantle Biennale - Bass Trombone
- Presented by Tura New Music, this experimental performance used effects and technique to portray a dark story of human intervention
Triumph and Tragedy - A2 Orchestra
- Principal Bass Trombone
State Concert Band Competition - Darling Range Wind Ensemble - Bass Trombone
- Guest call-in, Awarded B-Grade Champions
WAYJO 40 Year Anniversary - Studio Underground - Bass Trombone
- WNO with guest artists Catherine Noblet (Bone), Lucy Iffla (Vocals), and Zero Emcee (Rap Artist)
ROSL Orchestral Composition - WAAPA WSO - Bass Trombone/Tuba double
- Played and Recorded five new orchestral compositions with conductors from the PSO "Women on the Podium" program
Adeline and Edward Lead Sheets - York Musical by Robert Garton Smith
- 26 Lead Sheets and transcriptions presented for professional use
The Hits of Paul Simon: Reimagined - Spiegel Tent WAAPA - Solo and Ensemble Vocals
- WAAPA Jazz Vocal ensemble presents arrangements of Paul Simon's best known works
The Groove Merchants: Tessie Overmyer Plays Thad Jones - WA Regional Tour - Bass Trombone
- WAYJO's WNO travelled Perth's most outer regions
2022
Emiliano Sampaio - Forest Chase Perth International Jazz Festival - Bass Trombone
- WAYJO's WNO performed debut original works for big band by Brazilian composer Emiliano Sampaio
Gian Slater in Concert - Spiegel Tent WAAPA - Vocals
- WAAPA Jazz Vocal ensemble collaborated with Gian Slater on original pieces for vocal choir including a cappella charts
Beats and Pieces: From Latin to Electro - The Rechabite - Bass Trombone
- WAYJO's TNO and WNO combined to provide a night of dancing and drums. This gig featured guest artists including Adolfo Chavez in the Latin set, and rapper Zero Emcee with some fresh beats
Jessica Carlton Plays the Music of Kenny Wheeler - Lyric's Underground - Bass Trombone
- From Brass chorales to swingers, Kenny Wheeler threw it all at WAYJO's WNO ft the phenomenal Jess Carlton
2021
WAYJO Swings – WAAPA Sings! - Quarry Ampitheatre - Bass Trombone and Vocals
- A combination of Jazz, Gospel, and Contempory wildness featuring a world's worth of young musicians
Peruano Canta - Spiegel Tent WAAPA - Vocals
- The WAAPA Jazz Vocal and Afro-Peruvian ensemble joined forces to bring a new meaning to Festejo!
Kate Pass: Kohesia & the Far East Suite - The Rechabite - Bass Trombone
- Kate Pass's Kohesia ensemble expanded to big band to bring a new fusion of Persian Jazz
Bullhorn Brass - Fremantle Biennale - Bass Trombone
- Presented by Tura New Music, this experimental performance used effects and technique to portray a dark story of human intervention
