Biography
I feel very lucky to have grown up in Brisbane, Australia and to have spent most of my childhood playing at the beach or in the bush. Being the only one in my entire extended family to ever learn an instrument, my musical journey came somewhat as a surprise. I had a very balanced lifestyle with my parents generously chauffeuring me to violin, surf life saving, drama, athletics and swimming lessons. The decision to seriously pursue the violin came as I began to completely fall in love with playing in an orchestra. At just 14, I found myself performing throughout Europe, Russia, and China, playing great music with my closest friends. I realised then that this was a remarkable life and that I needed to pursue it as much as I could. Since then, I have performed in notable venues including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Guangzhou Opera House in China and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
My tertiary studies began at the University of Queensland where I completed a Bachelor of Music, awarded with First Class Honours. During my time there, I was a fellow with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and consequently became a regular freelance member. After graduating and fully immersing myself in the Brisbane music scene, I found myself eager to move overseas and experience somewhere new and culturally rich.
I moved to London in 2019 to complete my Masters at the Royal Academy of Music. I feel very fortunate to have been a scholarship student at the Academy and the recipient of an Arts Australia career development grant and a Young Emerging Artist Fellowship. Since moving, my most treasured moments include performing my solo composition of “Waltzing Matilda” at a televised gala event in Morocco and playing with the CRR Symphony Orchestra in Istanbul.
I am an avid chamber musician, so my quartet is a huge motivation for me. Since forming, the Calathea Quartet have been prize winners in several London competitions, were recently selected into the Britten Pears Young Artists Programme, and are looking forward to an international recital tour in 2023. Alongside performing, I am also an active teacher. I owe a lot of my musical development to Youth Courses, so I find it extremely rewarding to direct several orchestras and outreach programs throughout London. Besides playing the violin, I love travelling and meeting up with friends. So for me, a career in music really is the perfect combination of all my passions!
EDUCATION
Royal Academy of Music
London, UK
OTHER PROJECTS
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS
What’s your most memorable moment as a musician?
My memorable moments are usually not the most “impressive” performances I’ve done but rather the most pivotal experiences in my musical journey. An unforgettable memory would be the first time playing with the Australian Youth Orchestra where we performed Stravinsky’s ‘Petrushka’. I remember having so much fun on this course and performing this piece felt so incredibly exhilarating. It was the moment where I realised that if I could do this for the rest of my life, that would be amazing.
How would you persuade someone who has never heard ‘classical music’ before to come with you to a concert?
I would argue that if they’d never been to one, that they should give it a try at least once. I would also explain that it’s a very different experience to watch a performance live compared to just listening to it. I always find it much more engaging, plus the shared listening experience is very special. And if all fails, I’ll bribe them with a post-concert pint!