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Niko Schauble

Drummer   Composer  Teacher

Niko Schauble is an award-winning drummer, composer, producer and audio engineer with a practice spanning the full range of contemporary notated and improvised music.  

Born in 1962 Niko grew up in a family of musicians, singers and a record producer & lyricist. He started to play piano at age 4 and drums at age 11. His first forays into audio recording were on a 4-track tape machine in the late 1970s.

Niko has performed with many of the world's leading artists including Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Sam Rivers, Lee Konitz, Dewey Redman, Enrico Rava, Greg Osby, Arthur Blythe, Palle Mikkelborg, Paul Grabowsky, Trilok Gurtu, Karaikudi R. Mani, Deborah Conway and Archie Roach. His work as a musician and composer is documented on over 60 albums.

Niko’s compositions span film and television scores, ballet, interdisciplinary works, chamber and symphonic music, with major commissions from the Australian Art Orchestra, West Australian Ballet, Radiosinfonieorchester Frankfurt, Queensland Festival, the Berlin Jazz Composers Orchestra and the University Orchestra Ulm.  His new work "Clear Waters" for Jazz Trio and large Symphony Orchestra, commissioned by the University of Ulm, Germany will be premiered in July 2023.

Niko has held teaching positions in jazz and film music at the University of Melbourne, Monash University, Melbourne Polytechnic and has been a guest lecturer at ANU, UTAS, WAAPA, Universities of Adelaide and Queensland, JIB (Jazz Institut Berlin) and the Sommerakademie der Landesmusikschule Berlin.

In 2012 Niko opened Pughouse Studios, a professional recording studio in Melbourne, Australia, producing more than 160 albums to date.

Niko is an Associate Artist , represented by the Australian Music Centre

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  • Nick Haywood Trio feat. Petra Haden "Back to the Garden"

  • Adam Simmons TUoA "Zatoczka"

  • Mirko Guerrini "Horizontal Quartet"

  • Radiosuccessi “Genuinely”

  • Damo “Find Your Feet”, music for children

  • Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier “Everybody’s Begging”

  • Nick Haywood Trio "Many Rivers", JazzHead

  • Deborah Conway & Willy Zygier “Stories of Ghosts”

  • Torrio! (Grabowsky/Guerrini/Schauble) “Torrio!”, Encore Jazz

  • Australian Art Orchestra & Sruthi Laya “The Chennai Sessions”

  • Australian Art Orchestra & Wagilak Songmen “Crossing Roper Bar” (2009)

  • Paul Grabowsky Trio "Big Adventure", ABC Records 476 283-5

  • Christof Griese "Double Drums Project" (with Tony Buck), BIT 11264

  • Australian Art Orchestra "Music for SITA", AAO records

  • Paul Grabowsky Trio "3", Origin Records OR 058

  • Christof Griese Quartet "Mogrinos" (with Leszek Mozdzer), Futurex Records/Poland

  • Doug de Vries “Doug DeVries”, Newmarket Records (NE- 001)

  • "Cataract" (Sampler of the Hochschule für Musik Berlin), HfM Berlin (HDK 010)

  • Christof Griese Quartet "52nd Return", Jazz4Ever Records (J4E 4728)

  • Australian Art Orchestra "Into the Fire", ABC Records 465 705-2

  • Australian Art Orchestra "Passion", ABC Records 465 230-2

  • Australian Art Orchestra "Ringing the Bell Backwards", Origin Records (OR008)

  • Paul Grabowsky Sextet "Viva Viva", WEA

  • Paul Grabowsky Sextet "Tee-Vee", East West Records

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Awards

  • 2020 Apra Amcos Nomination (Luminary Award)

  • 2019 Finalist Apra Amcos Art Music Awards

  • 2005 Finalist at Annecy Film Festival

  • 2004 Nomination for 'Leo Award', Braunschweig Filmfestival

  • 1998 Finalist at the 'Wildscreen Festival', Bristol 

  • 1997 Honorable Mention Julius Hemphil Awards, New York

  • 1996 1st and 2nd Prize ‘Tage der leichten Musik’ des SFB, Berlin

  • 1995 2nd prize Franz-Josef Reinl Stiftung für ‘Ohne Ende’

  • 1994 'Unsigned Bands Competition', Rhythms Magazine

  • 1992 Australian Jazz Award/Best Drummer

"[Niko Schauble] possesses a talent for composition and arranging that threatens to put him up there with the world's best." 

Drum Media 1996

 

"Schauble's compositions, like his drumming, are idiosyncratic and bristling with surprises.”

Sydney Morning Herald 1994

 

"Schauble's hand as a composer is evident in the quirky themes and propulsive rhythms."

The Age

 

“The music by Niko Schauble works wonderfully well.”

The Age Green Guide 1999

 

“…his rhythmic intricacy [...] is possibly unpreceeded in this country’

Sydney Morning Herald 1990

Discography:
as Musician/Composer
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Discography:
as Bandleader

  • "Then This" Live at PFSMF, with Mirko Guerrini, Tony Hicks & Stephen Magnusson, BandCamp

  • "Night Music - Remastered" with Enrico Rava, BandCamp

  • "The Berlin Tapes" Tibetan Dixie at SIM, BandCamp

  • "OnominO" with Jon Tarry, Echogene

  • "Spiel", with Paul Grabowsky, Jazzhead HEAD209

  • “Es Geht!”, recorded at RBB, Berlin, BIT 11546

  • “White Snow–Red Earth”, Portrait CD, BIT 11346

  • "On The Other Hand“ (with Paul Grabowsky, Steve Grant and Chris Bekker) Naxos Jazz 86011-2

  • “Night Music” (feat. Enrico Rava), Origin Records (OR 012)

  • “Ya-It-Ma Thang” Tibetan Dixie (with Arthur Blythe), Timeless Records (SJP 412)

  • “Nothing Too Serious” Tibetan Dixie, Larrikin Records (LRJ 261)

  • “Minimal Kidds” (with Gebhard Ullmann, Trilok Gurtu, Glen Moore, u.a.), EMI/Capitol Rec.

  • "Rote Sterne", single, Polydor

  • "Per-Dee-Doo" (with Gebhard Ullmann), Nabel Records (Nabel 4640)

  • "Wasserwüste", Die Elefanten , Nabel Records (Nabel 4634)

  • "Immer Alle Immer Ich", Die Elefanten, Tropical Music (Nektar 68.926)

  • "Out To Lunch featuring Enrico Rava", Nabel Records (Nabel 4632)

Discography:
As Composer/Arranger:

  • Berlin Jazz Composer’s Orchestra “Live 30”, Bellheim 11839

  • Berlin Jazz Composer’s Orchestra Vol I, II & III, Bit Verlag/Sony Music BIT 10396/11027/11147

  • Jugend Jazz Band Charlottenburg “How Rook”, Bit Verlag/Sony Music BIT 11185

  • JayJayBeeCee “20 years”, Bit Verlag/Sony Music BIT

  • Berliner Saxophon Quartett  12 Notes, 4 Musicians and the Blues, BIT 11150

  • Berliner Saxophon Quartett Vol.I + II, Koch Schwann 3-1335-2 & 3-1314-2

Selected works TV/Film

  • 2019 "Can Art Stop A Bullet" Documentary

  • 2011 "Eye Of The Storm" Feature Film (Score Co-Producer and Mixer)

  • 2010 "Bed Of Roses" Series 3, ABC TV

  • 2010 "Swerve" Feature Film (Score Producer)

  • 2008/9 "Bed Of Roses" ABC TV

  • 2009 "Matching Jack" 20th Century Fox (Music Production & Mix) 

  • 2009 "Like A Dream" (Score Mixer)

  • 2009 "Whatever Happened To That Guy" Comedy, Fox

  • 2007 "Spyshop" ABC (comedy shorts), Boilermaker Productions

  • 2005 - 2007 "Neighbours" Channel 10

  • 2003/4 "Stingers" Channel 9 (93 eps) Winner of AFI award 2004 ‘Best Drama Series’

  • 2003 "Good Riddance" ABC (animation series)

  • 1999 "Noah’s Arc" (starring Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen) (orchestration & composition)

  • 1998 "Zoo's Company" ABC (documentary series)

  • 1999 "They Shoot Crocodiles, Don’t They?" ABC (documentary)

  • 1999 "Zoo Tails" ABC (documentary shorts)

  • 1998 "Bunch of Fives" ABC (animation series)

  • 1993 "Imagine" SBS (magazine show)

  • 1992 "Lift-Off" ABC (children's TV series)

  • 1992 "Tonight Live" Channel 7 (Live TV talk show)

  • 1988 "Kripo Live" MDR/Germany (drama)

 

Short Films:

  • 2008 "Residue" Roguy Films

  • 2007 "The Bargain" Ciro Esposito

  • 2006 "Foresta Rossa" Lovecraft 21C

  • 2005 "Anaka" (animation) Finalist at Annecy Film Festival

  • 2005 "Pinata" (animation), Act III

  • 2004 "Numbo"

  • 2003 "Traces" Boilermaker Productions

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Selected Works (Ensembles)

  • "Clear Waters" for Jazz Trio and Symphony Orchestra, premiere performance July 2023

  • "Jumping Yaks", Interpretation of the first movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony. Premiere performance 26 May 2023

  • "Mus Persequeris" for Violin, Clarinet & Piano, premiere performance by Plexus, Melbourne Recital Centre 6 December 2016

  • "Novecento" Ballet Music, West Australian Ballet (2011/12)

  • "The Voyage" Concerto for Alto Saxophone & Symphony Orchestra, premiere performance 15/16 Jan 2009

  • "Perfidium" for Woodwind Ensemble and Jazz Quartett premiere performance July 2000

  • "Passion, Beauty, Time" for chamber orchestra, jazz quartet and 2 voices commissioned by the Frankfurter Rundfunk. Co-composition with Wilfried Maria Danner premiere performance and broadcast 23.März 1999

  • "Crucified" Arrangement of the St.Matthew Passion by J.S.Bach for the Australian Art Orchestra (5 composers) premiere performance 1997 released on CD ‘Passion’, ABC Records 465 230-2

  • "Ohne Ende" commissioned by the Berliner Saxophonquartett premiere performance 1995 released on CD ‘12 Notes, 4 musicians and the Blues’, BIT Records 11150

  • "The Ferryman"  commissioned by the Australian Art Orchestra premiere performance 1994 released on CD ‘Into The Fire’, ABC Records 465 705-2

  • "Ya-it-ma Thang" for Alto-Saxophone and ten-piece Ensemble commissioned by the Wangaratta Festival premiere performance 1992 released on Timeless Records SJP 412

  • 'Niko Trommelt" for Drum-Set and Sampler premiered 18/1/96, St.John’s, Melbourne

  • "Mood 25p"  for Piano and Drum-set premiered by Michael Kieran Harvey at the Australian National Academy of Music 30.June 1996

 

Selected Works (Stage)

  • Musical Ship  Queensland Music Festival, Cooktown, 2007

  • Boulevard Delirium with Paul Kapsis (dir. Barrie Kosky)', The Malthouse, Melb. 2005

  • The Theft of Sita (musical director) commissioned by the Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals 2000-2002

  • Kura Tungar 2002-no- with Ruby Hunter, Archie Roach and the Australian Art Orchestra

  • Ruby's Story 2002 with Ruby Hunter, Archie Roach and the Australian Art Orchestra

  • Candide (solo percussion)

  • Tanzwerkstatt Berlin 1987-89 various productions

  • Wasserwüste 'Die Elefanten' @ Berlin Planetarium 1988

  • Renaissance Theater Berlin 1985 various productions

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