Australian composer Brett Dean hospitalised with coronavirus

Musician and composer Brett Dean has been hospitalised in Australia with the new coronavirus.

British agent Intermusica confirmed on Thursday that the violist and conductor was in isolation in an Adelaide hospital with the Covid-19 illness.

He was to perform with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in a Beethoven concert at the annual Adelaide Festival on Saturday.

Festival executive director Rob Brookman says Dean had cancelled his appearance at the festival due to pneumonia-like symptoms.

Brookman says three people who had been in contact with Dean have self-quarantined.

The 58-year-old Australian has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and Taiwan’s National Symphony Orchestra.

Taiwan health authorities on Friday said they were investigating the travel and contacts of an Australian Covid-19 patient of that age who had a cough and other symptoms while on the island.

Taiwan’s CDC statement said the patient was a composer who had concerts in Taiwan on February 28 and March 1 without identifying Dean by name.