Nicola Bell

About

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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.