Before moving to Germany in 1984, Brett Dean trained in Brisbane, where he worked for 14 years as a regular Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra member. In 1988, he began writing, working mainly on experimental film and radio ventures and as an improvising musician. Dean began to grow his popularity as a musician, and he received international acclaim with works such as his clarinet concerto Ariel's Music (1995), which earned an award from the UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers, and Carlo (1997) for strings, sampler, and tape, influenced by Carlo Gesualdo's music.

Dean moved to his native Australia in 2000 to work on his composition and now spends his time in Melbourne and Berlin between his residences. As a violist and conductor, Dean has a productive playing career and plays his own Viola Concerto for several of the world's leading orchestras. Dean is a natural chamber artist, often working with other soloists and ensembles, such as collaborations with the Doric Quartet, Scharoun Ensemble, and Alban Gerhardt, to play both his chamber compositions and regular repertoire.