Rebecca Seymour
Rebecca is currently a violinist with The Queensland Symphony Orchestra. She graduated with honours from a Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the University of Queensland in 2002, and in 2005 was awarded her Master of Philosophy (Music Performance). Rebecca has had wide and varied experience playing and touring with a number of ensembles including The Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Youth Orchestra, the Queensland Youth Symphony and the Musica Europa World Youth Orchestra. She is a keen chamber musician, winning the 4MBS/MusicaViva Sid Page Memorial Prize with the Quintessential Quartet in 2005, and in 2008 completing a Winter Residency at The Banff Centre (Canada) as a member of The Elston Quartet. Caroline Hopson
Caroline Hopson, a violinist since the age of 9, studied with Andrew Lorenz at the University of Southern Qld before completing her Bachelor of Music in Advance Performance at the Queensland Conservatorium in 2008. While studying, Caroline was concertmaster of the Conservatorium Symphony, Chamber and Opera Orchestra, and the Divertimenti Ensemble. During her time at university, she became a member of the Latrobe String Quartet and travelled with them to the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville, and also performed recitals for the 4MBS Sibelius Festival. She has played in master classes for Richard Tognetti, Rudolf Koelmann, Charles Castleman and Simon Fischer. She has frequently taken part in Australian Youth Orchestra programs, and will participate in their international tour in 2010. Caroline is currently completing her Masters of Music Studies in Performance with Michele Walsh at the QLD Conservatorium. Susanna Ling
Since swapping from violin to viola at the age of 14, Susanna has played with the Queensland Youth Symphony (as Principal Viola) and the Australian Youth Orchestra, and has been on three European tours. She has completed AYO Fellowship programs with the Melbourne and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, and is currently a casual member of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (formerly The Queensland Orchestra). In 2009 she appeared as a soloist with the Queensland Youth Symphony in their Concertos in the Old Museum concert. Susanna studied with Patricia Pollett at the University of Queensland, where she was Principal Viola of the university's Symphony Orchestra and winner of the Sleath Prize for solo performance. She received a University of Queensland Medal, graduating in 2008 with a Bachelor of Music Performance (Honours 1) and a Bachelor of Arts in Literature. In 2010 Susanna will participate in the AYO international tour to China, Denmark, Holland, and England. Susanna plays a 2003 Helge Grawert viola. Dale Rickert
After learning the violin for six years Dale Rickert began studying the cello at the age of 12. In 2003 Dale accepted a place at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and until 2008 performed as Principal Cellist of the Queensland Youth Symphony, the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, and the Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra. In 2007 he graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Music Performance, and for the past six years has also performed both nationally and internationally with Australian Youth Orchestra. Closer to home Dale has appeared in performance with the renowned Queensland ensemble Southern Cross Soloists, and in early 2006 accepted a casual position with The Queensland Orchestra. Since then he has become a regular addition to the cello section and won full-time contracts in both 2008 and 2009. Dale is currently undertaking a masters in Music Performance on an Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship at the University of Queensland. Dale plays a beautiful 2008 instrument made by Cremonese luthier Roberto Cavagnoli. Jenny Khafagi
Jenny has been a casual member of The Queensland Symphony Orchestra since 2005, and has also performed with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree, studying under Michele Walsh, in 2007 and spent six months in London and Europe studying privately with members of the Philharmonia and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. She held the position of Associate Principal Second Violin during the Australian Youth Orchestra’s International Tour in 2007, and was the concertmaster of the Queensland Youth Symphony for the 2004 European Tour. She also held the position of Principal Second Violin in the Unicef World Youth Chamber Orchestra from 2002-2004. Jenny is currently the first violinist of the Elston String Quartet, and in early 2008 the group participated in an intensive six week residency under scholarship at the prestigious Banff Centre in Canada. This year Jenny has worked with The Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and has been invited to tour throughout regional Western Australia next year as an Emerging Artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Adam Cadell
Adam Cadell is a 2005 graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and holds a Bachelor of Music degree with First Class Honours in Violin Performance. Adam has extensive orchestral, solo and chamber music experience and was a member of the Queensland Youth Orchestras for over ten years. Adam has performed and recorded a wide range of musical styles in groups as diverse as the Zhivago String Quartet, Speed of Purple, Kate Miller-Heidke, Dick Desert and the Shotgun Country Club, Darren Hanlon and James Cruickshank of the Cruel Sea. In 2007 he toured Australia with the Cat Empire culminating with a headlining performance at the Byron Bay East Coast Blues and Roots Festival 2008. Having recently completed a Masters degree at the University of Queensland, Adam is now undertaking a PhD in modern violin performance practices at the Queensland Conservatorium and is performing original music in his experimental rock duo, The Scrapes. Josephine Pollicina
Josephine is currently completing her final year of a Bachelor of Music degree at The University of Queensland. She has been studying violin with Patricia Pollett for the past three years. A member of the Australian Youth Orchestra programs, Josephine has travelled to Canberra and Adelaide as a National Music Camp participant. She has also been a member of the Queensland Youth Symphony (QYS) for five years. Last year, she embarked on a tour with QYS under the direction of John Curro, travelling to Germany, France, Austria and Italy. Josephine plays on a Guaneri copy made by John Simmers. Glenn Christensen
Glenn Christensen is studying with Michele Walsh at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and has just completed his second year of a Bachelor of Music majoring in Advanced Performance. He has won many of the Conservatorium’s major prizes, including the Matilda Jane Aplin Prize, the Vada Jeffries Bach Prize, the Ronald Clifford Davis Prize and the Maurice Mears Memorial Prize for dedication to his studies. Earlier this year, Glenn won every prize in the prestigious Kendall National Violin Competition. He is currently a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra and has participated in many AYO programs. In 2010 he will tour Europe and China with the orchestra, and will participate in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s Fellowship Program. Raquel Bastos
Having graduated from the University of Porto, and subsequently from the University of North Texas, Raquel holds a Honours Degree Cum Laude and Graduate Artist Certificate, both in music performance. Whilst studying in Texas under the tutelage of Dr. Susan Dubois, Raquel was employed by the university as a teaching assistant and was also a member of the university's graduate quartet. Upon completing her studies, Raquel has worked with various orchestras internationally, and performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, South Africa, China and the USA, as well as holding a full time position at the Orchestra of Madeira, Portugal. Since relocating to Brisbane in 2008, Raquel has been working as a full time musician, both with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and also as a viola and violin teacher. Guy Bursle
Guy is a freelance cellist with experience as both an orchestral and chamber musician. In 2002 Guy was awarded his Associate Diploma of Music with distinction and in 2008 graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Music and International Relations. Guy has recorded and performed in ensembles throughout Queensland and has performed internationally as a member of the Queensland Youth Symphony. Guy plays on a beautiful instrument made by Brisbane-based luthier Helge Grawert. Sarah Swann
Sarah Swann has been a flautist for 17 years. She holds a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours in Advanced Performance from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, having studied with internationally renowned Gerhard Mallon. Sarah has toured Queensland with the Ensemble Ulysses, as part of the QLD Arts Council’s Ontour Onstage series. She performed as Principal Flautist and concerto soloist with the QLD Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra, as well as the Queensland Youth Symphony. She was also a flautist at the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp for two years running. Sarah has recently returned to Brisbane, after spending 18 months studying at the School of Music in Leipzig under Professor Irmela Boßler. Michael Patrick
Born in Queensland, Michael completed his undergraduate studies at the Australian National University before continuing with postgraduate studies in viola performance at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. Michael maintains a strong interest in many non-classical forms of music-making, and has studied Irish and Scottish fiddle in Tasmania, Ireland and the USA. Michael has performed all around Australia, overseas, is a recorded artist, and in 2002 received the Declan Affley Memorial Award for excellence in a young performer at the National Folk Festival. He performs frequently with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and works as a freelance musician based in Brisbane. With his band Little Creatures, Michael performs regularly in the Brisbane gig scene. Michael plays a 2004 John D. Johnston viola. Hayato Simpson
Hayato Simpson is a multi-instrumentalist who started learning violin and piano at the age of five. Currently, he is completing his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Queensland, while studying violin with Michele Walsh of the Queensland Conservatorium. Hayato was a member of the Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra from 2002-2007, and has been a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra since 2005, touring nationally and internationally with both orchestras. In 2010, he will be participating in AYO’s Europe/China tour. Hayato also holds an Associate of Music diploma with distinction for piano, and was twice a state finalist in the Yamaha Piano Competition. In his spare time, Hayato enjoys playing drums for Brisbane rock group Axis. After co-producing their first album in 2009, he has started delving deeper into the worlds of electronic music, and sound production. Jarrod Schindler
Jarrod Schindler holds a Bachelor of Music (Performance) with First Class Honours and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Queensland. He has played Principal Piccolo with the Queensland Youth Symphony and toured with the orchestra to Germany, Italy and France in 2008. He has been director of the chamber music “Twilight” concert series of the Queensland Youth Orchestras and has conducted the QYO Chamber Orchestra in concert numerous times. Jarrod is currently Principal Flute with the Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra and will feature as a soloist in their 2010 season. He has performed as soloist with the University of Queensland Symphony Orchestra. |