Australian Youth Orchestra: Striking and Beautiful

Robert Smith is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, having studied under renowned Australian violinist Michele Walsh. During his studies, Robert received both musical and academic awards, including the Richard Pollett Memorial Award, the Ronald Clifford Davis Prize, the Vada Jefferies Bach Prize, the Basil Jones Sonata Prize and the Griffith Future Fund Scholarship. An avid orchestral musician, he has participated in the Australian Youth Orchestra as Concertmaster and Associate Concertmaster in various programs since 2019. After graduating, Robert won a first violin position with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra before accepting a first violin contract with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Robert has also enjoyed performing with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Southern Cross Soloists, Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Omega Ensemble and Ensemble Q.

Teresa Yang recently graduated as a music scholar and Head Prefect at Meriden School. She is currently a scholarship recipient at the Sydney Conservatorium’s Rising Stars Program, where she studies with Janet Davies. Teresa has loved learning the violin since age 5 and previously studied with Professor Shixiang (Peter) Zhang. Teresa is an accomplished violinist and a winner of many competitions, including the John Curro National Youth Concerto Competition, the KPO Concerto Competition, the Kendall National Violin Competition (Junior), the Melbourne Recital Centre Bach Competition and the NSW Young Virtuoso Award.

As a young and emerging artist, Teresa is open to exploring a wide variety of repertoire. She enjoys musical opportunities, from engagements as a soloist with orchestras across Australia to proudly participating in the Australian Youth Orchestra Programs, where she had the privilege of being the Chamber Orchestra’s Concertmaster during the 2024 National Music Camp. Her string quartet, Lumina, was also a finalist in Musica Viva’s Strike A Chord competition.

Teresa has participated in masterclasses with Cho-Liang Lin, Emily Sun, Satu Vänskä and Andrew Haveron. Outside of music, Teresa enjoys running, reading and time with friends. She looks forward to her next adventure with the AYO on the International Tour.

Chinese-Australian violinist Daniel Shao is studying Master’s at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg under Prof. Esther Hoppe. He holds a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he studied with A/Prof. Ole Bohn and was awarded the Dean’s List of Excellence in Academic Performance (2023). Before this, he attended the Conservatorium High School.

Daniel is passionate about chamber music and has performed extensively in Australia and internationally. As a member of the Elan Quartet, he has twice received the Henderson Travellers Quartet Scholarship, facilitating tours to Europe in 2023 and 2024. The Quartet has performed at the Oslo City Museum in Norway and received invaluable mentoring from Gregor Siegl (Artemis Quartet), Oliver Wille (Kuss Quartet) and the Quiroga Quartet at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland. Daniel has also attended the Australian Festival of Chamber Music and the Festival de Música de Santa Catarina in Brazil.

As a soloist, Daniel has received guidance from internationally respected violinists, including Leon Spierer and Rainer Sonne, both former concertmasters of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2020, he has been a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra, taking on numerous concertmaster and principal roles. Daniel was awarded the Richard Pollett Memorial Award (2023) for displaying outstanding personal and musical qualities. Outside of music, Daniel enjoys cooking, photography and hiking.

Hannah recently graduated from Ravenswood School for Girls and was on a full music scholarship. She began playing violin at age five, earning her AMusA in 2020 and her LMusA with distinction in 2021. Recently nominated for HSC Encore, she also won first prize at the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition this year, leading to a 2025 performance invitation with the Barrier Reef Orchestra. Until recently, Hannah studied under Elisabeth Mitchelmore and will continue with Janet Davies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music this year.

Hannah’s achievements include first place in the 2021 Polish Music Competition, the 2022 Edna Wilde Instrumental Award, and the Virtuoso Prize at the New Talent British Festival. She has placed in multiple national and international competitions, including the Kendall National Violin Competition, the ArsClassica International Junior Competition, and the Mimas Music Festival Violin Competition.

A committed ensemble musician, Hannah is concertmaster of her school orchestra and has performed with the Sydney Youth Orchestra and ACO Academy. Since 2023, she has also been part of the prestigious Australian Youth Orchestra Flagship Orchestra, having participated in AYO programs since 2022. Outside of music, she enjoys participating in church worship and exploring photography.

Ein Na is a 15-year-old violinist from Brisbane studying under the guidance of Natsuko Yoshimoto. She made her concerto debut at the age of 9 with the Queensland Korean Orchestra. By 10, in 2019, she was touring Europe as a soloist with the Tagiev Chamber Orchestra and won the Brisbane International Youth Music Festival. In 2021, she earned her LMusA Diploma with Distinction and won the Diploma Section of the AUSTAQ Concerto Competition. That year, she received the Pamela Dowsett Memorial Bursary from Robin Wilson, and participated in a masterclass with him. The following year, at 13 years old, she won the 47th John Curro National Youth Concerto Competition.

In 2023, Ein won first prize in the Kendall National Violin Competition, receiving a concert violin crafted by master luthier Michal Prokop. That same year, she performed in the Young Virtuosi Concert for the 4MBS Festival of Classics and appeared as a concerto soloist with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra at Brisbane City Hall. She also won the QSO Young Instrumentalist Prize and attended the Heifetz International Music Institute Summer Program. Representing Queensland’s 4MBS Classic FM, she won the National Young Virtuoso of the Year Award for musicians under 25, presented by the Australian Fine Music Network. 

As a dedicated chamber musician, her string sextet, Take Six, achieved second place in the 2024 Musica Viva Strike A Chord National Chamber Music Competition. In the same year, she participated in a masterclass with Maxim Vengerov and performed as a soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the Gold Coast Home of the Arts. Ein previously studied under the late Spiros Rantos.

Currently a Bachelor of Arts and Laws student at the University of Sydney, Natalie continues to play violin under the tutelage of Dr Evgeny Sorkin. Natalie has been playing in AYO programs since 2018 when she attended her first National Music Camp. Since then, she has continued playing in AYO at NMC and as part of the Flagship orchestra. One highlight for her was playing Strauss’s ‘Alpine Symphony’ under the direction of Sir Mark Elder at the 2022 Winter Season. Outside of AYO, Natalie was the winner of the 2019 National Youth Concerto Competition, where she had the privilege of performing the Korngold Violin Concerto with the Queensland Youth Symphony in the finals. Playing with AYO has allowed Natalie to meet lifelong friends from all around Australia, and she is looking forward to her first opportunity to perform overseas on the International Tour!

Haneulle Lovell is a passionate violinist and musical collaborator. Born in Adelaide, she moved to Brisbane in 2022 to pursue her musical studies under the tutelage of Michele Walsh. A member of the Australian Youth Orchestra from 2022-2024 and a 2024 Queensland Symphony Orchestra Academist, she has developed a keen interest and love for orchestral playing. An invested chamber musician, Haneulle has explored many exciting collaborations whilst pursuing a Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, including projects alongside members of the Australian String Quartet, the LA Philharmonic Wind Quintet, and Ensemble Q. She brings her love and commitment for musical togetherness into all aspects of her playing, including during a recent trip with the Orleigh Quartet, representing the Queensland Conservatorium at the “Musical Chairs” Chamber Music Festival in Montreal. A recent winner of the 2024 Basil Jones Sonata Prize and a past soloist in the Queensland Conservatorium Concertos Festival, she values diverse performance opportunities. When not rehearsing or listening to music, Haneulle enjoys bike rides out and about in her neighbourhood, or a spot of cooking.

Sarah recently graduated from the Doctor of Medicine University of Melbourne. However, she has continued to pursue her musical endeavours whole-heartedly.

Sarah attributes much of her success in music to the excellent tutelage of her teachers. She learnt with Dr Evgeny Sorkin whilst studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Open Academy Rising Stars Program, and with Associate Professor Michele Walsh whilst completing her studies at Griffith University in Queensland.

Sarah was the winner of the International Animato Violin Competition in 2016, the Marcus Edwards Prize in 2017, and the UNSW Concerto Competition in 2018. She was a finalist in the Kendall National Violin Competition in 2018, and finalist and winner of the player’s prize in the NSW Concerto Competition in 2015 and 2018, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto and Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1. She received the First in State prize for two subjects, Music and Music Extension, in the Higher School Certificate, and subsequently was invited to perform at the Sydney Opera House as part of HSC Encore 2018.

As an avid chamber and orchestral musician, Sarah’s 2024 music highlights included AYO’s Seasons in Hobart, Melbourne and Geelong, and AYO Chamber Players in Goulburn with the Orava Quartet. Sarah has been the concertmaster of several orchestras including the Australian Medical Students’ Orchestra, and Corpus Medicorum, the Melbourne-based Doctor’s Orchestra, under the baton of Associate Professor Keith Crellin OAM and Fabian Russell.

If not in the hospital or in a rehearsal, Sarah can be found running, hiking a mountain, or baking bread.

Sara is an enthusiastic and passionate musician from Melbourne. Her journey began at age 3 when she commenced violin lessons with the Suzuki method. Her love for music was nurtured during high school where she frequently performed as a soloist with orchestra and completed AMusA exams on Violin and Viola. Sara is currently in her Honours year at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (University of Melbourne). With guidance from teachers Lisa Grosman, Dr Curt Thompson and Dr Elizabeth Sellars, she has been a recipient of several awards and was Concertmaster of the University’s Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras. During her time at the conservatorium, she worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Australian String Quartet and has performed in the ANAM Orchestra. In 2023, Sara was invited to perform Mahler’s Ninth Symphony with the Australian World Orchestra as the Academy Player, this was an enriching opportunity for her. Sara is also a dedicated chamber musician, having travelled to Texas for the Mimir Chamber Music Festival, as an Emerging Artist. Here, she studied with the Grammy award-winning, Pacifica Quartet and other accomplished musicians of various American Symphony Orchestras. She regularly enjoys performing in Candlelight Concerts around Victoria with her String Quartet. In the future, Sara hopes to continue developing her love of music as an orchestral, chamber and solo musician.

Beverly is currently studying a Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under the tutelage of Ole Böhn. She has been a semi-finalist and finalist in various state and national competitions and has performed internationally at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland) and Kirishima International Music Festival (Japan), both as a scholarship holder. Recently, Beverly curated and performed two recital programs as part of the Inspire Music Emerging Artists Series and has held leadership positions within the Sydney Conservatorium orchestras. Beverly has enjoyed playing in many orchestras such as the Australian Youth Orchestra, Western Australian Youth Orchestras, Perth Symphony Orchestra, and the Sydney Conservatorium 2022 European Tour Symphony Orchestra. In 2025, she will join Opera Australia under the Patricia H. Reid Orchestral Fellowship and is very excited to embark on the month-long Australian Youth Orchestra International Tour. Her previous teachers include Alice Waten, Paul Wright and Anna Chomicka-Gorecka.

The multi-talented musician and recipient of the Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship, Luke Hammer, realised his passion for music at a young age after discovering the exhilaration of performing for other people. He has since demonstrated success in multiple musical disciplines, including violin, composition and singing. He has had the privilege of performing in the Australian Youth Orchestra, appearing as a bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah and hosting his own concert featuring an original composition, Sinfonia for Strings.

While completing his Bachelor of Music degree at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University and attending music camps, Luke has performed in various prestigious venues, including the Queensland Performing Arts Concert Hall and the Sydney Opera House. Guided by leading Australian pedagogue Associate Professor Michele Walsh, Luke has played with numerous chamber ensembles, including the Fiddlesticks string quartet, which was broadcasted on popular radio station 4MBS classic FM after winning runner-up prize in the Ross Peters 4MBS Chamber Music Competition. His more recent accomplishments include a performance of Prokofiev’s second violin concerto with the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra.

Candice is a Chinese-Australian violinist whose musical journey began at the age of six. Originally from Melbourne, Candice calls the green wedge of Eltham North home – a place surrounded by greenery and native wildlife. Growing up, Candice was part of the local Eltham Orchestra, where she got her first taste of orchestral playing. Candice had the opportunity to perform the first movement of Bruch Violin Concerto no 1 in G minor with the Eltham Orchestra in 2017. In 2019, she was invited to perform the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto with the Huangshi Symphony Orchestra in Hubei, China. 

Candice is a recent graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, where she studied violin under Zoë Black, Michael Loftus-Hills and Dr Alexandra Hiew. She has performed with Orchestra Victoria and the Geelong Symphony Orchestra and has been part of the Australian Chamber Orchestra Academy, Melbourne String Ensemble and the VCASS Symphony Orchestra, where she has served as concertmaster. 

In 2025, Candice will be undertaking a Bachelor of Music Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying under Ole Bøhn. 

Outside of music, Candice can be found in the kitchen cooking and baking or lounging in the sun on a beach.

Candice has been participating in AYO programs since 2022. Candice is thrilled to be a part of the 2025 international tour and is looking forward to the experiences to come. 

Ingram is currently studying at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University under the guidance of Associate Professor Michele Walsh. He started to learn the violin at age 7 and has gone on to win the Vicky Speight Trophy for “Most Outstanding Soloist in Strings” at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod, the Nancy Weir Music Scholar Award (Music Teachers Association of Queensland) and the Beverly McIlwain Scholar Award in 2017 from the Gift Fund Committee, Friends of Gold Coast Arts Centre. He has also competed in International Competitions, placing second in the Young Instrumental section at the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition in 2018.

In 2023, Ingram participated in the QYS international tour and performed in concert halls across Singapore, Austria and Germany. He has also participated in multiple AYO programs, such as NMC and Seasons. In 2019, Ingram travelled to Italy to attend the Cremona International Music Academy and Festival, where he had the opportunity to have lessons with Paola Tumeo, Roberto Cani, Mark Lakirovich, Jacob Lakirovich and Sophia Novak-Sogland.

Aside from music, Ingram is an avid enthusiast of Nike Air Max sneakers, he loves to go eating, ice skating and shooting in his free time.

Ezra Uxó Williams is 22 years old and recently completed the fourth and final year of his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. He began learning violin at the age of five with Suzuki teacher Toni Robson and is currently under the tutelage of Fintan Murphy, who has taught Ezra since he moved to the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School in 2017. Ezra has an avid interest in all aspects of classical music, with a deep passion for performing. For the last two years he has been the concertmaster of the University of Melbourne’s Symphony Orchestra, touring to Singapore and Malaysia in 2021, as well as the Principal Second Violin of the Australian Youth Orchestra. During his time at university Ezra has received numerous awards and grants in recognition of excellence. Ezra completed his LMusA in 2020, in the same year received an ATAR of 98.1, and was a recipient of the VCAA Margaret Schofield Memorial Scholarship. In his final year, Ezra was nominated for the John Hopkins Music Award and received the VCASS Principal’s Award. Away from the violin, he has studied conducting, historically informed performance, and avant-garde classical music and jazz. Ezra’s other interests include history, philosophy and literature.

Helen earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in violin from the University of Melbourne, studying with Dr. Curt Thompson. She has toured Singapore and China with the University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, plus travelled to the U.S. and South Korea as part of the university’s string ensemble. She has also previously played with members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. As a concertmaster, she has led the University of Melbourne’s string ensemble and philharmonic orchestra under the direction of conductor Richard Davis. More recently, she joined the AYO Momentum ensemble at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, where she performed with fellow AYO alumni and acclaimed festival artists. Since 2021, Helen has been a classical music news writer at The Violin Channel, where she was recently promoted to Senior Content Writer. 

Nara is a 19-year-old violinist currently studying with Prof. Ole Bohn at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, supported by the Kathleen and Allison Short scholarship. She graduated as the Conservatorium High School captain and was a part of the Sydney Conservatorium’s Rising Stars program where she studied with Dr. Evgeny Sorkin. Nara was selected as a soloist at major venues such as the Sydney Opera House and a chamber musician at the Sydney Town Hall and Chatswood Concourse. She received 2nd prize at the National Polish Competition 2023 (PolMusicA), followed by countless accolades from eisteddfods around Sydney, and recently played in the Kendall National Violin Competition semi-finals. This year, Nara was selected to participate at the Sounding Point Academy at the prestigious Colburn School in Los Angeles, USA, where she travelled in June to receive tuition and masterclasses from major teachers of the continent, including Simon James, Eugene Watanabe and Danielle Belen. She has been seen performing as concertos as a guest soloist with community orchestras around Sydney.

Jasmine is currently in her second year of training at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) under the tutelage of Adam Chalabi. After completing her secondary studies in 2021 with Elizabeth Layton, she moved to Brisbane to commence her Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree at the University of Queensland under the tutelage of Associate Professor Adam Chalabi. During her studies, she was the recipient of the Howard and Gladys Sleath scholarship and performed with Opera Queensland in the 2022 Festival of Outback Opera.

Jasmine’s orchestral journey began with the Adelaide Youth Orchestra in 2011 and continued with the Queensland Youth Orchestra, including an international tour to Singapore, Austria and Germany in 2023. These musical experiences have fostered a deep love for orchestral playing and have led her to perform in several programs with the Australian Youth Orchestra. In 2023, Jasmine had the privilege of performing with both the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra through AYO’s orchestral fellowship programs. 

Jasmine is a passionate chamber musician and a founding member of the Piruli String Quartet, which received the Flinders Quartet mentorship in Musica Viva’s Strike a Chord competition (2021). She has also benefited from mentoring by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, as a member of the ACO academy from 2017-2019, and from masterclasses with Pinchas Zukerman, Robin Wilson, Dale Barltrop and Lu Siqing.

Lili is a passionate violinist undertaking her first year at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) under the tutelage of Adam Chalabi. Beginning her musical journey at the age of four, Lili’s love and enthusiasm for music have continued to flourish. She began her tertiary studies at the University of Queensland (UQ) in 2021, studying for a Bachelor of Music (Honours), where she received the Kinnane Music Scholarship. Throughout her study at UQ, she has been awarded the Pollett String Prize in 2022 and 2023, the Sleath String Prize in 2023, as well as a Dean’s Commendation of Academic Excellence for 2023. Lili takes great pride in participating in the Australian Youth Orchestra programs, including the National Music Camp, Seasons programs and the Momentum ensemble in 2023 as part of the Amiti String Quartet in which they completed a residency at the Coffs Harbour Conservatorium. This year, Amiti participated in the Chamber players program, and Lili also participated in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Professional Immersion program offered through AYO. These programs have been invaluable to her in forming friendships, professional connections and learning experiences. She is incredibly excited to participate in 2025 AYO programs, including the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra fellowship, Summer Season and the International Tour.

Photography: Pia Johnson

Lily is a 17-year-old violinist studying with Michele Walsh at Queensland Conservatorium. She was awarded her AmusA (2020) and LMusA (2022) with Distinction, performing at both AMEB ceremonies. Lily was a finalist for QSO’s Young Instrumentalist Prize. She currently serves as the concertmaster of Queensland Youth Symphony (QYS) and is the Richard Pollett scholarship recipient. Lily has been an active participant of AYO since 2022 and was concertmaster of Young Symphonists in 2023. In 2024, she won the Most Promising Prize for the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition. At the age of 16, she got into the Queensland Conservatorium and commenced her Bachelor of Music on early entry. During her first year at Con, she won the Matilda Jane Aplin Prize for strings. She wishes to travel the world with her violin and passion in the future. In her free time, she loves to bake, spend time with her friends, and go to the beach.

Lara Dowdeswell began learning the violin at age five with Sheau-Fang Low using the Suzuki Method and currently studies under Janet Davies, previously at the Sydney Conservatorium’s Rising Stars Program. Lara has had numerous successes in competitions across the country, winning the Barbara Cran Award at the KPO Concerto Competition in 2021 and being a finalist in the senior section in 2024, as well as a finalist in the John Curro National Youth Concerto Competition in 2022 and 2023. Lara was also a 2023 finalist in the Bach Competition held in Melbourne. Lara has been an avid participant in AYO programs since 2022, attending the National Music Camps for the last 3 years and, most recently, the winter season in Melbourne last July. Lara is starting the first year of her music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2025.

Ian Chiao, a 19-year-old violinist from New Zealand, is a dedicated musician and third-year Bachelor of Music student at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, studying under Dr. Curt Thompson. Ian has performed internationally, touring Australia, Asia, and America, and has appeared with prestigious ensembles, including the Australian Youth Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonic, and Royal Philharmonic Melbourne. He has also served as concertmaster for the University of Melbourne Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the Geelong Symphony. As a chamber musician, Ian has collaborated with members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian String Quartet, Gewandhausorchester, Horszowski Trio, Daedalus Quartet, Kronos Quartet, American String Quartet, Houston Symphony, and Chicago Symphony. He participated in the 2023 and 2024 Mimir Music Festival in Texas and will attend the 2025 Portillo Music Festival in Chile. Ian performs on a 1916 Giachetti violin loan from the Chimei Museum Foundation of Taiwan and a Nürnberger bow from New Zealand’s Pettman Music Academy. He is also honoured to be the recipient of the 2023 Kate Flowers Memorial and Corinna D’Hage Mayer String Scholarships.

Phoebe began playing violin at the age of 4 and is currently completing a Master of Music (Orchestral Performance) at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, under the tutelage of Associate Professor Curt Thompson. She is a humble recipient of the 2024 Corinna D’Hage Mayer String Scholarship. As a young soloist, Phoebe was selected as a Finalist in the 2017 Preston Youth Concerto Competition and competed as a Semi-Finalist in the Melbourne Youth Orchestra’s Virtuosity Competition in 2018. She was also selected for VCE Top Class 2020, performing at the Melbourne Recital Centre. More recently, Phoebe has been selected as a semi-finalist in the 2024/25 Kendall National Violin Competition. She has also thoroughly enjoyed performing in solo masterclasses for renowned musicians such as Maxim Vengerov, Daniel Dodds, Miki Tsunoda, and Gabriela Diaz and collaborated in chamber workshops and performances with members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Australian String Quartet. As a passionate orchestral musician, she toured Asia with the Conservatorium’s Symphony Orchestra in 2023 as Associate Principal Second Violin and has enjoyed leading the orchestra this year as Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin.

Benjamin is currently in his 3rd year of a Bachelor of Music Performance degree under the tutelage of Janet Davies and was a recipient of the Ted and Susan Meller Memorial Fund Scholarship. He has previously studied with Goetz Richter and Sheau-Fang Low. He was a finalist in the Sydney Conservatorium Concerto Competition (2023, 2024), Sydney Concert Orchestra Concerto Competition (2024), semi-finalist in the Sydney Eisteddfod Drs Instrumental Scholarship (2023) and a semi-finalist in the Kendall National Violin Competition (2022, 2024). Ben regularly participates in AYO programs and has performed as Concertmaster for the Conservatorium orchestras. In 2023, his quartet was part of the outreach program at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, and he performed as a Viola artist alongside Jack Liebeck and Emily Sun. As a recipient of the Henderson’s Travellers Scholarship multiple times, he has travelled internationally as a violinist and violist studying chamber music with Quartetto Di Cremona and Johannes Meissl at the 2022 and 2024 Kuhmo International Chamber Music Festival in Finland. He has also studied chamber music with Gregor Sigl, Eckhart Runge and Wayne Foster-Smith in Berlin, and Silvia Simionescu in Switzerland, having solo lessons in Finland with Reka Szilvay, Cecilia Zilliacus and Petri Aarnio. Ben has also hand-crafted a violin for his 2021 Industrial Technology Project under the guidance of Raymond Howes.

Sophia Jones is in her second year of study at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and the Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music, studying with Adam Chalabi.

Her childhood was spent in Brisbane, where she attained her LMusA and AMusA with distinction in 2020 and 2018 respectively, and placed fourth (2022) and second (2023) in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Young Instrumentalist Prize. In 2021, she was a Recitalist in the John Curro National Youth Concerto Competition.

She was a member of Queensland Youth Orchestras (QYO) from 2014 to 2023. During her 10-year membership at QYO, she was appointed concertmaster of the Junior String Ensemble (2016 and 2017), concertmaster and soloist of QYO2 (2019) and QYS principal violin (2023). In 2024, she performed across Germany and Austria, most memorably in the Musikverein with QYS on the International Tour.

2025 marks the fourth year of various Australian Youth Orchestra programs Sophia has participated in, her first being National Music Camp in 2022. In 2024 Sophia was Associate Concertmaster of the Bishop Orchestra and has performed with AYO in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Ballarat and Bathurst.

Photography: Pia Johnson

Morgan Ip is a Brisbane-based violinist with a passion for music, currently studying a Bachelor of Computer Science/Arts at the University of Queensland. He was previously mentored by Elizabeth Morgan AM and Adam Chalabi, and now studies violin with Brendan Joyce in pursuit of furthering his musical knowledge. He was awarded his AmusA for Violin in 2019 and Mansfield State High School’s Musician of the Year in 2022.

He has been an avid member of the QYO programs since 2018 and played first violin with QYS from 2020 to 2024. In 2022, he was featured as a guest soloist with the Brisbane City Pops Orchestra. In late 2023, he had the opportunity to tour Singapore and Europe with QYS.

Morgan started his AYO journey in 2023, participating in the National Music Camps of 2023 and 2024. He now looks forward to touring Europe with AYO and experiencing the culture, music scenes and drinks of Europe.

Jordan Hall has a passion for playing violin in orchestra, having taken part in the Australia Youth Orchestra (AYO) programs since 2017. After graduating from the Queensland Conservatorium with a Bachelor of Music in Performance in 2021, he began working and performing with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO). In 2022, he was an Upbeat Artist with Camerata (Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra) and performed with them for many programs, including a tour of regional Queensland. One of the highlights of 2023 was playing for all 4 operas in the Brisbane production of the Ring Cycle with the QSO – which featured over 15 hours of music. In 2024, Jordan was selected for the QSO Academy Program, receiving lessons, masterclasses, workshops, talks and mock auditions designed to prepare participants for an orchestral career. He also performed in Camerata and Queensland Ballet’s collaboration for a sold-out season of Coco Chanel. Some of his AYO highlights across the years include National Music Camp (2017,18 & 20), Parsifal (2019), Ngapa William Cooper with Nigel Westlake (2023), and various seasons. The AYO International Tour in 2025 will be his first performance on an international stage.

Lisa began learning the violin at age 4 and graduated from Churchlands Senior High School, winning the top instrumentalist prize in year 12, which allowed her to perform as a soloist at the Perth Convention Centre. 

She recently completed her Bachelor of Music at the University of Western Australia’s Conservatorium of Music, where she received the Ann Brett Scholarship and multiple awards, including the Lynn Kan Memorial Prize for performance and the Flora Bunning Prize with her piano trio, JULIMA. 

In 2022, Lisa was a top three finalist in the VOSE competition at UWA, winning the People’s Choice Award. She currently serves as the concertmaster of the a2. orchestra and performs with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO). Last year, she performed Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the a2 orchestra at Government House Ballroom. 

Next year, Lisa will pursue an honours degree at Griffith University while performing with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO). She has secured one of just two violin positions in the QSO Academy and is eager to further her studies and enhance her performance career.

Andrew Wang is a passionate young musician at the forefront of the classical music industry in Australia. He has completed his Bachelor of Music (Performance) studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under Prof. Goetz Richter and the late Professor Alice Waten and is now undergoing Master’s studies at the Universität Mozarteum with Prof. Lily Francis under the Henderson’s Travel Scholarship awarded by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Andrew began participating in Australian Youth Orchestra programs at the age of 14. At AYO, he developed a deep love for orchestral and chamber music. His quartet, The Felix Quartet, has toured Kuhmo Finland, Berlin, Basel and Vienna to seek tutelage from renowned pedagogues such as The Artemis Quartet, Prof. Wayne Foster-Smith, Johannes Meissl, Quartetto di Cremona and Silvia Simionescu. In 2024, the Felix Quartet gave the Australian Premier of Weinberg String Quartet no.6 at the Wyvern Music Forestville concert. Other chamber music collaborators include Emily Sun, Jack Liebeck, Goldner Quartet, Natsuko Yoshimoto and Kees Boersma. Andrew is now a casual musician with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra as well as guest concertmaster of the Sydney Contemporary Orchestra.

AYO mentors have inspired Andrew’s love for pedagogy. Under the Australian Festival of Chamber Music Outreach Program, the Felix Quartet held workshops at the Cathedral School Townsville, Townsville Grammar, Ayr High School and Pimlico High School. In 2024, Andrew also ran the string program at Fercourt Public School, NSW. He strongly believes in the importance of music education and wants to inspire the next generation of young Australian students to discover a passion for music-making.

Siobhan Makinson is a violinist studying at the University of Western Australia, majoring in performance, under the tutelage of WASO Associate Concertmaster Riley Skevington. She has previously studied under Alexandre Da Costa, Martine Cardinal, and Sunmi Jung. In addition to her music studies, Siobhan is a third-year student at Curtin University, studying a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Marketing and Event Management.

Siobhan has been awarded the Delano Music Scholarship at UWA and holds music diplomas in violin performance. Her musical achievements include winning top prizes in various competitions, such as the North of Perth Music Festival and the Fremantle Eisteddfod. Recently, her string quartet was awarded the 2024 Flora Bunnings Prize for Chamber Music at UWA.

An avid chamber and orchestral player, Siobhan is active in the Perth music scene, having performed and collaborated with the UWA Symphony Orchestra, UWA Chamber Orchestra, Cygnus Arioso, West Australian Opera, Perth Symphonic Chorus, St. Georges’ Chamber Orchestra and more.

Alaina Ray, known to most as Rayna, is a high school student with a deep passion for music, particularly the violin. She achieved her AMusA in 2020 and is currently accelerating in Music 2 and Mathematics Advanced, enjoying the challenges of both academic and artistic pursuits. Outside of music, she is an avid volleyball player, adding an active and fun balance to her life. As a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra’s flagship orchestra for 2025, Rayna is excited to create inspiring music with talented musicians from across the country.

Twenty-year-old violist Jamie Miles is a third-year student at both the Australian National Academy of Music and the University of Melbourne (BMus), studying with Caroline Henbest. From 2022-2023, he was the principal violist of the flagship Australian Youth Orchestra, including for their National Tour in 2022, and Jamie has been the principal viola of the University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra since his first year. In 2023, Jamie was the winner of the Melbourne Recital Centre (MRC) Bach Competition and was the only Australian competitor in the prestigious German Broadcasting Association (ARD) International Viola Competition in Munich. In 2024, he was a finalist in the MRC Great Romantics Competition, and in 2022, he claimed second prize in the 3MBS Victorian Young Performer of the Year Awards. Jamie has performed with the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras as part of ANAM’s side-by-side program. 

As a keen composer, he has won several local competitions, including the Australian Guild of Music’s ‘UNLOCK’D’ contest, winning the Solo Instrument category. Jamie’s Suite for Solo Viola has recently been included in the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) syllabus for the ‘Certificate of Performance’ level.

Jamie plays an 1899 Béla Szepessy viola, generously on loan from Thomas Chawner.

Sebastian Coyne is a passionate violist who started playing violin and piano at the age of six. From a young age, he was a part of Suzuki group classes and performed in local contemporary music performances with his siblings.

He transitioned to viola early in his primary school years, and shortly after studied viola with Louise Ray for most of his high school education. He then furthered his studies in music at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS), where he studied with Christopher Cartlidge and Gabrielle Halloran.

Seb was a finalist in both the MRC Bach Competition and the Strike a Chord Chamber Music Competitions in 2021. In the Strike a Chord final, he won awards for both his performances, where he featured as a pianist and violist. After his completion of high school, he transitioned to the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM). During Seb’s time at ANAM he participated in masterclasses with Lawrence Power, Timothy Ridout, Florian Peelman and Carla Maria Rodrigues. Some memorable performances during his time at ANAM include Virgil Thompson’s Sonata da Chiesa during the George Crumb festival, Schumann Piano Quartet with guest artist Anthony Marwood for a Mostly Mozart concert, and the Schubert string quintet with Jakub Jakowicz. 

Across the years, Seb has participated in multiple Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) programs which have been a central part of his development.

Seb is currently undertaking his third year at the University of Melbourne, under the tutelage of Caroline Henbest.

Sterling Rieck, born and raised in Adelaide, began playing violin at age six and transitioned to viola in high school with support from Martin Butler OAM. He is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Music Advanced, Classical Performance degree at the University of Adelaide under the tutelage of Stephen King.

Previously he has studied at the University of Queensland with Professor Patricia Pollett. During his studies he was the recipient of the Howard and Gladys Sleath Scholarship as well as the St Leo’s College Music Achievement Scholarship.

Sterling achieved his AMusA in 2021, winning the AUSTA String Award, and has won various AMEB grade prizes and Adelaide Eisteddfod prizes.

He has been a member of the Adelaide Youth Orchestras for over 10 years and has participated in multiple AYO National Music Camps. He was a member of the Queensland Youth Symphony Orchestra and has held principal positions in both the Elder Conservatorium Symphony and Chamber Orchestras.

He is a founding member of the Piruli String Quartet, which won the Flinders Quartet mentorship prize in Musica Viva’s 2021 Strike a Chord competition, leading to an interstate tour in 2022. Sterling has also participated in a masterclass with Dr Robin Wilson.

Felix Hughes Chivers’ passion for viola started at 11 when he commenced lessons with Pat Brearley at the Coffs Harbour Regional Conservatorium, where music became a central part of his life. Currently, he is completing a Bachelor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium under the expert tuition of Imants Larsens. As a violist, Felix enjoys exploring as much of the repertoire that he can sink his teeth into, from a transposed Bach fugue to a solo sonata by Ligeti, whilst naturally committing to arguably too many chamber ensembles. When Felix is dealing with attachment issues with his viola, composing becomes the next form of imposter syndrome, writing an oboe concerto, piano trio and quartet, as well as a short piece for orchestra and many other works just over the last year. Outside of music, Felix enjoys making pizza.

Felix has been awarded the Harmer Endowment Fund for Viola, won the John Curro Viola Prize, Australia and New Zealand Viola Society Solo Viola Composition Prize, and jointly won the Vada Jefferies Bach Prize and the Ross Peters 4MBS Chamber Music Prize with Fiddlesticks Quartet. He is excited to be selected for AYO and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Academy for 2025. 

Helena Burns is a Brisbane-born violist and will undertake her second year at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) in 2025 under the tutelage of Caroline Henbest. She also had the privilege and joy of studying with the wonderful Professor Patricia Pollett in both her Bachelor of Music (Honours) and Master of Philosophy degrees at the University of Queensland (UQ).

Helena is an avid orchestral musician who frequently performs in her hometown of Brisbane and throughout Australia. Helena performed with Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra on several occasions throughout 2023 as an Upbeat Artist. As part of this program, she performed in several subscription series concerts at QPAC and Toowoomba’s Armitage Theatre, the Orange Chamber Music Festival, alongside the Queensland Ballet and features on Camerata’s studio recording of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. In 2024, she also performed alongside the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) and the Auckland Philharmonia (APO) as part of the ANAM side-by-side programs.

In addition to orchestral performance, Helena enjoys performing as a chamber musician. Helena is a founding member of the Amiti String Quartet, an ensemble that has been increasingly active on the Australian music scene in recent years. Amiti recently took part in the 2024 AYO Chamber Players program, where they received tutoring from the Orava String Quartet and also recorded new works by emerging Australian composers. These include “The Colour of Time” by Abigail Lui as part of ABC Classic’s 2024 composing commissioning fund and Ollie Muller’s “Kinetic,” with both works set to be released in 2025.

Helena has also been a member of AYO since 2019, with highlights including the 2022 National Tour under the baton of Sir Mark Elder and Ngapa William Cooper with Nigel Westlake, Lior and Dr Lou Bennet in 2023. She is excited to continue her AYO journey in 2025 by taking part in the Summer Season and International Tour.

Photography: Pia Johnson

Aaron Dungey has recently achieved First Class Honours in Music at the University of Western Australia after having completed his Bachelor of Music, also at UWA, in 2021. Having graduated from Churchlands Senior High School in 2018 with the Paul McGeorge Music Prize for the most outstanding performance student, he has gone on to receive prizes through UWA, including the Delano Prize, the Anna Cullen Music Prize for Viola, and the Flora Bunning Prize for Chamber music. He is also a recipient of the Peter Moore OAM Scholarship from the WA Youth Orchestra and the Wesley Uniting Church Music Scholarship.

Aaron most enjoys playing chamber music. He has had the pleasure of playing with Cygnus Arioso, The Orchestra Collective, the Banksia ensemble, Perth Orchestra Project, and the St George’s College Chamber Orchestra, and is also a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra.

Aaron has had the privilege of being the Principal Viola of the WA Youth Orchestra from 2020 – 2021, the Principal Viola of the UWA Symphony and Chamber orchestras from 2019 – 2022, and in 2023, was a member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra on contract as Tutti Viola.

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Born and raised in Adelaide, Mattea began her musical journey at the age of seven when she started learning the viola. She graduated with first-class Honours from the Elder Conservatorium, where she studied under esteemed mentors Stephen King and Keith Crellin. A particular highlight includes her concerto debut with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, performing the Walton Viola Concerto. Following this, Mattea earned a Master of Music Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium, guided by Roger Benedict.

Currently, she is a student at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne, where she continues to hone her craft with Caroline Henbest. Throughout her studies, Mattea has always been a keen orchestral and chamber musician, performing with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Western Australian Symphony Orchestra and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, as well as holding Principal Viola positions in the Conservatorium orchestras and participating in numerous Australian Youth Orchestra programs and Chamber Music Festivals. 

Throughout her studies, Mattea has participated in masterclasses with Brett Dean, Australian String Quartet violist Christopher Cartlidge, The Guildhall School of Music Professor Matthew Jones and former London Philharmonic violist Ting-Ru Lai.

Mattea’s passion for music extends outside of traditional classical roles, as she has had fun exploring other avenues such as jazz trombone, as well as contemporary music for singing violists. 

Photography: Pia Johnson

Nerissa Du is a 16-year-old violist from Sydney. She attends Meriden School for Girls on a full music scholarship and is part of the Rising Stars Open Academy Program at the Sydney Conservatorium. She studies there on a Victor Cromack and Melba Harris Cromack Memorial scholarship with Stuart Johnson, violist in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She has achieved numerous accolades, notably achieving a distinction on her LMusA diploma in 2022. She frequently participates in competitions, most recently travelling to Singapore to compete, where she was awarded 1st place in her category. Nerissa is an enthusiastic member of her school’s orchestras and chamber ensembles, regularly playing in concerts and eisteddfods, participating also in masterclasses and music workshops. Nerissa has played with the Australian Chamber Orchestra since 2022, taking part in the ACO Academy and performing with some of Australia’s finest young musicians and tutors. Additionally, as a chamber musician, under the guidance of Janet Davies in the Rising Stars Program, she was a member of the Lumina Quartet, and together, they progressed to the finals of the 2024 Strike a Chord Competition, held in Melbourne Recital Hall. They were awarded the Flinders Quartet Mentorship Prize, which they are excited and honoured to take part in to improve and refine their performance technique and communication.  

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Olivia Spyrou, a dynamic young musician from Melbourne, currently studies a Bachelor of Music on violin and viola at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU). They have been under the tutelage of Associate Professor Michele Walsh for 2 years, and their previous mentors include Jane-Marie Stuart, Monica Naselow, Beth Hemming, Wenhong Luo and Gabrielle Halloran.

In 2024, at QCGU, Olivia was awarded the FW and EG Harmer Memorial Scholarship, the John Curro Viola Prize and the Ross Peters 4MBS Chamber Music Prize.

As a dedicated chamber musician, Olivia has explored various collaborations on both violin and viola, including with the LA Philharmionic Wind Quintet, EnsembleQ at QCGU and with the ACO Academy (2019, 2020). Throughout their studies, Olivia has participated in various masterclasses, including with Caroline Henbest (ANAM) and Matthew Jones (Viola Professor, Guildhall School of Music).

Olivia’s orchestral journey began with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra in 2014. Following many years with MYO, Olivia auditioned and participated in their first AYO National Music Camp in 2019 at 14 years old. This year marks Olivia’s 6th National Music Camp and 2nd year as principal Viola of the Bishop Orchestra. Olivia has eagerly participated every year since and cherished their time with AYO’s Young Symphonists (2022) and various Seasons programs over the years (2022-2025). Olivia has always found connecting and learning with like-minded people, musicians, tutors, and conductors across Australia to be a great source of joy and fulfilment. “AYO is where my passion began. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. I am so grateful to be a part of the AYO again in 2025.”

Photographer: Claudio Raschella