Aaron Choulai is an internationally acclaimed Papua New Guinean–Australian composer, conductor, and pianist, Renowned for his compositions that are culturally coded in languages and reference to the Asia Pacific, his work is commission and performed at major festivals and organisations across Australia and Asia, including Asia TOPA, Queensland music Festival, Tokyo Jazz Festival and more. Recognised as an artistic leader and innovative contribution to contemporary music, he is regarded as a major voice shaping the future of the region’s creative landscape.

Born in PNG, Choulai spent much of his life in Port Moresby, Tokyo and Melbourne, cities and cultures that shaped a practice defined by fluidity across musical worlds, steeped in cultural reference. His work engages with the shared histories and evolving identities of the Asia Pacific, speaking with clarity

As Artistic Director of the Australian Art Orchestra, Choulai provides steady and visionary leadership, guiding the organisation’s artistic direction with a commitment to cultural integrity, rigorous collaboration, and community-centred practice. Under his direction, the AAO continues to advance its reputation as a leading force in innovative, cross-cultural musicmaking.

Choulai’s artistic influence is reflected in collaborations with figures such as Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Ben Monder, Jim Black, Otomo Yoshihide, Daichi Yamamoto, and Shun Ishiwaka, alongside major commissions from Asia TOPA, Queensland Music Festival, and Multicultural Arts Victoria. A recipient of the Freedman Fellowship in Jazz and the MEXT Scholarship, he has contributed to national orchestras across Australia as both performer and arranger, and brings extensive pedagogical experience to teaching roles at The Banff Centre for Creativity and the University of Melbourne. He holds a Master of Music from the Tokyo College of the Arts