Artists | Australian World Orchestra

Australian Hometown(s): Brisbane & Sydney
Education: Queensland Conservatorium of Music; Australian National Academy of Music

Simon Cobcroft is the Artistic Director of the Coriole Music Festival, and for almost 10 years has served as Principal Cello with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. He is a member of the critically acclaimed Lyrebird Trio, familiar to audiences around Australia and further afield, since winning the 2013 Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition. Simon studied at the Queensland Conservatorium and the Australian National Academy of Music. Since graduating, he has held principal positions with the Queensland Symphony and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestras, and has performed with London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony, Denmark’s Esbjerg Ensemble, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and as principal with the Tasmanian and Singapore Symphony Orchestras.

Recent highlights include performances as guest principal cello with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian String Quartet, Tinalley Quartet and with Pinchas Zukerman and friends. He has appeared as principal and soloist at the Aldeburgh, Pacific and Salzburg Music Festivals. Simon has performed the cello concertos by Haydn, Elgar, Saint-Saëns and Bruch with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, winning the 2016 Adelaide Critics’ Circle Award for his performance of the Elgar Concerto. In previous years he appeared as soloist with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney’s Metropolitan Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria. Simon studied with Matthew Farrell, Janis Laurs, Alexander Baillie, David Strange and Michael Goldschlager. He plays on a beautiful English cello made in 1840 by Thomas Kennedy. In his spare time, he loves to cook.

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown(s):
Education:

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Splitting his time between New York City and Australia, violinist Peter Clark is widely celebrated for the unique breadth and scope of his leadership across the arts sector.

As concertmaster, Peter has appeared with New Zealand Opera, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Chamber Opera, Victoria Opera, Darwin Symphony, and Orchestra Wellington. He has also appeared as Guest Principal Second of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Dublin.

Peter’s commitment to arts access has led him to perform in more than 130 regional towns and cities across Australia, as well as to develop a beloved music program at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital, through his extensive work with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

In the field of public speaking and advocacy, Peter has developed a reputation as one of Australia’s most sought-after speakers, presenting for orchestras around the world. His audiences range from young school students, through to Australian Prime Ministers, as he communicates and passionately advocates for the central role of music in society. His recent work includes delivering the late Richard Gill’s 2023 Voyage of Musical Discovery series.

Peter’s doctoral research on social innovation and cohesion through music is generously supported by Judith Neilson AM, and the General Sir John Monash Foundation. He is also completing an MBA in Arts Innovation, with the generous support of the American Australian Association.

Peter first played in Carnegie Hall with the Australian Chamber Orchestra at the age of twenty. He plays a fine 1936 AE Smith violin, and is Principal Violin of Omega Ensemble.

Peter’s fiancée is the celebrated New Zealand-American violinist Jessica Oddie. She is the love of his life.

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown(s):
Education: Royal Academy of Music

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Benjamin enjoys a varied career as an orchestral and chamber musician on both violin and viola. Recently he performed at the first night of the proms as guest principal viola of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, a position that has also taken him to the London Philharmonic, Philharmonia and BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Also as guest concertmaster he has appeared with both the Sinfoniorchester Aachen and Sinfoniorchester Wuppertal in Germany. He is also a regular guest to several international chamber music festivals, including the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville, Stift international Chamber music festival in Holland, Oxford May Music Festival and the Highgate International Chamber Music Festival in London.

He studied at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall in London with Lydia Mordkovitch, Emanuel Hurwitz and David Takeno before continuing with Ilya Grubert in Amsterdam and later Ivry Gitlis in Paris.

Benjamin is an enthusiastic collector of violin bows and plays a Joseph ‘filius Andrea’ Guarneri c.1720

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown(s):
Education: Royal College of Music, London;

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
British-American-Australian violinist Emma McGrath is the Concertmaster of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys an international and varied career as a Concertmaster, soloist, chamber musician, conductor, teacher, educator, and mentor.

Emma has appeared as a Guest Concertmaster/Leader with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, West Australia Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Wellington, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hallé, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra, and the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. She has performed as a soloist all over Europe, Asia, Australia, and the USA. Highlights include Max Richter’s ‘Recomposed’ to sold-out audiences as part of the Dark Mofo Festival, and concerti and solos by Britten, Mozart, Bruch, Saint-Saens, Vivaldi, Piazzolla, Vaughan Williams and Bottesini with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. An avid chamber musician, Emma was a member of the award-winning Panormo Quartet in London, the Starling Quartet in Pittsburgh, and the Kettering Piano Quartet and the Tasmanian String Quartet in Hobart. She has also participated in the Bangalow Music Festival, the Tasmanian Chamber Music Festival, and the Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs.

Prior to moving to Tasmania, Emma was the Assistant Concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony, and the Associate Concertmaster of the Seattle Symphony.

She is also a professional singer, baroque violinist, and conductor – and enjoys bushwalking in Tasmania’s wild places in her spare time!

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown(s): Canberra
Education: Queensland Conservatorium; Australian National Academy of Music

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Flautist and writer Lily Bryant is one of Australia’s most exciting emerging performers. At the completion of her Bachelors of Music at Queensland Conservatorium under the guidance of renowned teacher Virginia Taylor, she was awarded the Conservatorium Medal, and accepted into the prestigious Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne.

In her final year at ANAM, she won first prize in both the Australian Youth Classical Music Competition and Leslie Barklamb Flute Scholarship, and auditioned successfully for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Academy.

While her studies were curtailed by the pandemic, since leaving ANAM Lily has established herself as a solo, chamber and orchestral performer, frequently appearing with ensembles across Australia. She has appeared as Guest Principal Flute with the Sydney, Adelaide, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, as well as performing casually for the Melbourne and Queensland Symphony Orchestras.

This year, Lily is the 2023 Sydney Symphony Orchestra Flute Fellow. She also has a passion for chamber music, and has appeared with Arcadia Winds, Inventi Ensemble, Rubiks Collective and Crosswinds Ensemble, in addition to regular recital engagements with Musica Viva.

Lily is also an avid writer and arts journalist, and has been published by Limelight, Kill Your Darlings and CutCommon.

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown(s): Sydney
Education: Sydney Conservatorium of Music

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Olivia studied clarinet under the Sydney Symphony’s Associate Principal for Clarinet, Francesco Celata from 2015-2021. After completing her Bachelor of Music Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Olivia was the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s clarinet fellow in 2022. Since then, Olivia has performed as guest Principal Eb clarinet with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, has performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia Orchestra and is also a casual clarinettist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Olivia performed in the re-opening Gala of the Sydney Opera House concert hall as Principal Eb clarinet in Mahler’s Symphony No.2. Olivia is a founding member of the Sydney based Tarsus Chamber Collective. Olivia performed the Mozart Clarinet Concerto in 2017 with Alexander Briger and looks forward to returning to the stage with Alex in the Australian World Orchestra’s Mahler 9 program.

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown(s):
Education: Australian National University; Freiburg Hochschule für Musik

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Ann Blackburn currently plays Second Oboe with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Australia, a position she has held since 2013. She holds a Bachelor of Music from the Australian National University, and a Diploma from the Freiburg Hochschule für Musik, where she studied with Heinz Holliger.

Ann played Associate Principal Oboe with Orchestra Victoria from 2004-2006. She has worked extensively with the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, the Auckland Philharmonic, Opera Australia’s Oz Opera, and the Victorian Opera. She has also played with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. She has performed recitals in New Zealand and Germany with her chamber group Trio Australasia.

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown(s): Sydney
Education: Sydney Conservatorium of Music

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Miles’ musical education began at age 4, with cello lessons from Takao Mizushima. He then was accepted into the Rising Stars program, and began his studies Under Susan Blake, and then Julian Smiles. Continuing under the guidance of Julian Smiles, Miles received his Bachelor of Music Performance with First Class Honours from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music at the age of 19.

Throughout his musical education, Miles has had the opportunity to learn from many accomplished musicians, including Fred Sherry, Tamas Varga, Timothy Walden, Hannu Kiiski, Howard Penny, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Umberto Clerici, and Kasia Hans.

Miles has performed as a soloist and chamber musician at the Canberra International Music Festival, the Four Winds Festival, for Musica Viva, and Live At Yours, collaborating with many of Australia’s leading musicians. He has also appeared as soloist with the Western Sydney Philharmonic.

In 2019, Miles was awarded the 1st prize at the Gisborne International Music Competition.

Miles has also had the opportunity to work with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as a Guest Principal and Contract Cellist, and with the Opera Australia Orchestra as a Causal Cellist. In 2020 and 2021, Miles was a Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellow. He has been a member of the Australian World Orchestra since their 2022 BBC Proms Tour.

Last updated 2023

Australian Hometown: Sydney
Education: Sydney Conservatorium of Music; Conservatoire National Supérieur Musique et Danse de Lyon; Hochschule für Musik und Theater München

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Nicola Bell is a British-born oboist who recently returned to Sydney after nine years in Europe.
After graduating with first class honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Nicola continued her studies abroad in Sweden and France. She went on to complete her Master of Music in Munich with Professor François Leleux.

In Germany, she was invited to perform with orchestras such as the Munich Symphony Orchestra, Braunschweig Theatre Orchestra, WDR Funkhaus Orchestra, and the Württemberg Chamber Philharmonic Heidenheim. After developing a relationship with the Georgian Chamber Orchestra in Ingolstadt, Germany, she often travelled to perform in Georgia with the Georgian Sinfonietta and Georgian National Philharmonic, as well as appearing at the Telavi International Music Festival, Georgia in 2014. From 2015 Nicola held the position of Principal Oboe with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Neeme Järvi, followed by a contract as Alternating Principal Oboe with the Finnish National Opera. She enjoyed a varied and busy schedule appearing as guest principal oboe with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Norrköpping and Gävle Symphony Orchestras in Sweden and the Tampere Philharmonic and Finnish Radio Orchestras in Finland.

Locally, Nicola works regularly with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Opera Australia Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Western Australia Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria.

Nicola is also an active chamber musician, with appearances at the Canberra International Music Festival, Hume Chamber Music Festival and Arts in the Valley Festival, and with ensembles such as the Sydney-based Omega Ensemble and Sydney Chamber Choir. She previously collaborated with the New Theatre Ensemble in Tallinn as part of the Tallinn Chamber Music Festival and the Estonian Concert Elite Series, as well as with the Munich Winds. She is currently part of the teaching faculty at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Last updated 2022

Australian Hometown: Canberra
Education: Australian National University School of Music; Australian National Academy of Music; Institut Oberschützen, Austria

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Since moving to Vienna in 2016, Chris has established himself as a regular with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra both as a tutti and in leading positions including on international tours. Since 2018 he is a member of the newly founded orchestra Klangkollektiv Wien whose members consist of musicians from some of the finest orchestras in Vienna.

During Chris’s time in Austria, he has also been invited to play with several other ensembles include Synchron Stage Vienna, Graz Philharmonic and Vorarlberg Symphony.

When he has time to return home, Chris also enjoys playing in productions with the Australian Ballet and Opera Australia productions with Orchestra Victoria.

As well as performing, Chris is currently completing further bass studies under the tutelage of Prof. Tim Dunin at Institut Oberschützen – (Kunst Universität Graz (KUG)), in Austria.

Originally from Canberra, Chris started his University education under Max McBride at the ANU School of Music, before continuing at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) under Damien Eckersley. At this time, Chris enjoyed playing with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Canberra Youth Orchestra and was selected as a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra, participating in the International Tour in 2016.

Last updated 2022