Biography

Cameron began the violin at the age of seven and within a few months was advised to switch to viola due to his height, and of course the scarcity of violas in the school’s string ensembles. By the age of 13 he began studying with Bridget Crouch at the Queensland Conservatorium and soon after decided that he aspired to being a professional musician.

His tertiary studies commenced in 2009 at the Queensland Conservatorium, where he continued studying with Bridget Crouch and later Graeme Jennings. He then transferred to the University of Queensland to complete an honours year studying with Associate Professor Patricia Pollett. During his tertiary education he was principal violist of the university symphony and chamber orchestras. He also performed in various masterclasses with world-renowned musicians: including Kathryn Lockwood, The Australian String Quartet, New Zealand String Quartet, Tokyo String Quartet and Yuri Bashmet. He also had the opportunity to perform with the New Zealand String Quartet and Kathryn Lockwood during their respective residencies.

He has balanced his tertiary education with various external commitments with the Australian Youth Orchestra, Sydney Sinfonia, Queensland Symphony and Melbourne Symphony. His participation with the Australian Youth Orchestra included a regional residency as the violist of the Australian Youth Orchestra String Quartet as well as an international tour in 2013. During the tour he performed in such venues as the Konzerthaus and the Concertgebouw and worked under Christoph Eschenbach and Joshua Bell.

He placed second in the Queensland Youth Music Awards in 2008, was the recipient of the Harmer Memorial Scholarship in 2011 and most recently the winner of the Sleath Performance Prize from the University of Queensland.

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

If you weren’t a musician, what would you be?
I would probably be a psychologist or possible some sort of lawyer or journalist if I could learn the art of public speaking.

Which three people, living or dead, would you most like to have dinner with and why?
Beethoven – because I love his music and am interested in finding out more about his philosphies and also how he dealt with is deteriorating hearing.
Bartók – to ask him to finish the viola concerto, and perhaps after a few wines ask him to revise one particularly tricky passage in the first movement!
Julia Gillard, former Australian Prime Minister – I like to follow politics and there are many questions worth asking about this particularly turbulent period in Australian politics.