Instinctively drawn to music when he was 2 years old and playing recognisable music at age 3, it was evident that Jack had an undeniable affection for music. During his formative years, Jack shared the piano on two separate occasions with world-renowned pianist, David Helfgott. With help from Variety, Rotary, a Ballarat Arts Foundation grant and fundraisers, Jack travelled to London to learn alongside music psychologist, teacher, author and researcher Professor Adam Ockelford, and music genius Derek Paravicini, both of 60 Minutes and TED Talk fame.
Professor Ockelford reported, "Jack has an unusually refined musical ear: he has Absolute Pitch, he can produce music afresh that conveys a range of emotions; using a great diversity of chordal, melodic and rhythmic combinations, he is an exceptional young musician, who deserves teaching input of the highest standard to enable him to fulfil his potential”.
Throughout much of his childhood, Jack utilised music as his primary means of expression. Neurodiverse since a young age, Jack enhanced his understanding of the world around him and expressed himself through the connections he made with music.
In his teenage years, Jack was among the final prize winners in the Australian Children’s Music Foundation Song Writing Competition and was awarded Best Instrumental Composition. Jack performed ‘The Night’s Lullaby’ with the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra, a piece that he also composed, orchestrated and performed for the orchestra. Jack was also selected as one of the four finalists in the Tropscore Jr. competition and completed his studies for Music Style and Composition Year 12 while he was only in Year 10.
His major composition from that year was selected as part of the Top Class Sounds Concert, and was performed at Federation Square. Jack completed his VCE Music studies and performed at the Top Class Sounds Concert (2017) where he was honoured to receive the Margaret Schofield Scholarship for Composition for his original piece: “Nightfall’s Lament”.
Throughout 2017-18, Jack Stacey completed his AmusA in Piano and was awarded a Ballarat Arts Foundation grant to purchase specialist equipment. Jack was recently awarded the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, and he continues to perform at various venues and events as a classical pianist, jazz pianist and composer.
Jack has performed sold-out recitals and shared the stage with the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra.
In June 2019, Jack performed with the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra and debuted his orchestral composition, "Into the Storm". He is currently preparing for his AMEB LMusA exam for Piano.
Jack graduated and was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Music at the University of New England, Armidale, in August 2020. He completed his Honours Year in 2021 and completed his Master of Arts, majoring in Music in 2023, with an RRES Scholarship and Vice Chancellor's Scholar Award.
As of 2023, Jack is currently the pipe organist at St Paul's Anglican Church, Bakery Hill, Victoria, Australia.