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| David Rowden ARTISTIC
DIRECTOR / FOUNDER (Clarinet) |
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Born in 1982 in Sydney, Australia, David studied under Francesco Celata from the age of 13. In year 2000 he played with the Sydney Sinfonia and with the Sydney Youth Orchestra, touring with them to Denmark and Sweden. In 2001, David won a scholarship to study in London at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM). The same year, he also received the Ars Musica Australis Scholarship and an Australian Foundation award.
In London, David studied with Tim Lines, Mark van der Wiel, Angela Malsbury, Richard Addison and Andrew Marriner and performed under the batons of Alexander Lazarev, Lutz Köhler, Hugh Wolff. Additionally he participated in the LSO Scheme run by the RAM and performed in the master classes for Henri Bok, Michael Collins, Sir Colin Davis, Ricardo Morales and Alessandro Carbonare.
In October 2004 David toured to New York with the RAM Manson Ensemble in collaboration with the Juilliard School of Music and Drama. The tour culminated in a recording and performances in New York and London of the students compositions from both colleges. Also in 2004, David performed for the Queen in Buckingham Palace and toured the UK with Sir Elton John. Moreover, he performed the Clarinet Concerto No.1 with the RAM Concert Orchestra and in his graduating year at the RAM in 2005, he won the Geoffrey Hawkes Clarinet Prize.
In addition to studies in RAM, David learned with Antony Pay at the Academia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy, in the summers of 2002 and 2004. He also successfully auditioned to study with Paul Myer in Academie musicale de Villecroze, South of France, in the summer of 2005. In May 2005 David collaborated with the American mouthpiece maker Michael Lomax to create a new mouthpiece which he now plays on. Currently he also performs on the new Morales Backun Barrel, made in Canada by Backun Musical Services.
On his return to Australia in September 2005, David founded the Sydney Omega Ensemble (www.sydneyomegaensemble.com). Since returning to Australia he has also performed with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, The Queensland Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. For the past three years (2005, 2006 and 2007) David has toured in Japan with the Pacific Music Festival studying with Peter Schmidl (Vienna Philharmonic), Manfred Preis (Berlin Philharmonic) and Ricardo Morales (Philadelphia Orchestra). With PMF, he has participated and performed in chamber music concerts with the principal wind players of the Vienna Philharmonic and worked with conductors Nello Santi, Valery Gergiev, Riccardo Muti and Andrey Boreyko. More recently, David has been invited to perform as guest Principal with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in South Korea.
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| THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE SYDNEY OMEGA ENSEMBLE |
| Katie Betts
(Violin) |
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Katie began studying the violin with her grandmother, former
viola player with the Sydney Symphony Joyce Churchill, at the
age of three. Since then she has studied with Yasuki Nakamura
and Christopher Kimber. Katie’s first solo performance
was at age four at the Dallas Brooks Hall in Melbourne. She
has also had various solo performances in New Zealand, Japan
and the USA, as well as in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.
In 1990 at the age of thirteen she achieved her A.Mus.A with
Distinction. While at high school, Katie won numerous competitions
and awards included the Open Concerto section of the Warringah
Eisteddfod, and the Double, Junior and Overall sections of the
Kuring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra’s Concerto Competition.
She has toured New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the UK since
1992 as a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra and Camerata
Australia. In 1994 she was awarded her L.Mus.A.
In 1996 Katie was Finalist and fourth place winner in the
Gisborne International Music Competition in New Zealand. She
was concertmaster of the Sydney Youth Orchestra in 1996-98 and
was soloist during their tour of California in 1997. She also
toured Germany with the Sydney Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra
and was concertmaster of the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony
Orchestra under conductor Larry Rachleff in 1998. Katie was
selected to perform for Yehudi Menuhin in his Sydney masterclass
in 1998.
Since graduating with honours from the Sydney Conservatorium,
Katie has completed a Graduate Diploma of Performance, and
was selected as a competitor in the 1999 and 2001 Westfield
Young Conductor Award. She was awarded a Fellowship with the
Sydney Symphony
for 2005 and studied under the mentorship of
Roger Benedict.
In 2006 Katie was awarded the position of tutti viola with the Melbourne Symphony.
Katie also enjoys teaching and in her spare time is completing a Bachelor of Computer Science.
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| Emily Long (Violin) |
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Emily graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2004 with First Class Honours following study with Philippa Paige, Christopher Kimber and Janet Davies.
In 2003, with the aid of a University of Sydney Exchange scholarship, Emily studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London with Hu Kun and Diana Cummings.
Emily has been concertmaster of the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, the Sydney Youth Orchestra and the Conservatorium Opera Orchestra, and has been Associate Concertmaster of the Australian Youth Orchestra.
As a chamber musician Emily has played at various music festivals including the Kowmung Music Festival, and has participated in many master classes, of which she particularly enjoyed master classes with the Takacs Quartet, Cho-Liang Lin and Steven Isserlis. In 2005 Emily was selected as a Sydney Symphony Fellowship holder and since 2006 has been playing on contract with the Sydney Symphony.
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| Jacqui Cronin (Viola) |
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Jacqui began her musical studies in Queensland and commenced
her tertiary studies at the Canberra School of Music where she
studied with Vincent Edwards and graduated with a Bachelor of
Music with High Distinction in 1998. During this time Jacqui
was awarded numerous prizes and scholarships, most notably the
FW and EG Harmer Viola Scholarship for three years in a row.
In 1999, Jacqueline continued her studies as a full scholarship
holder at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne
for two years studying with various Australian and international
violists.
Jacqui graduated with a Masters of Music Performance from
the University of Melbourne in 2002, having studied with Katherine
Brockman and Fiona Sargent. She has also studied in Austria
and Germany.
Jacqui has toured Australia and China as Principal Viola
of the Australian Youth Orchestra. She freelances
with various chamber ensembles and orchestras including Sydney, Melbourne
and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, Australian Opera and Ballet
Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria, and is currently on a contract with the Sydney Symphony.
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| Rowena Crouch (Cello) |
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Sydney born cellist Rowena Crouch graduated with BMus (Hons) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2000, having studied with Susan Blake. The following year she moved to Melbourne as a scholarship holder in the Advanced Performance Program at the Australian National Academy of Music.
In 2002 she was awarded the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music International Scholarship to undertake two years of postgraduate study with David Strange at the Royal Academy of Music in London. During her time in the UK Rowena became a full time member of Southbank Sinfonia in London. Performances included chamber music and orchestral concerts in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Anghiari Festival in Italy, the south of France, and in major Music Festivals throughout the UK. In 2003 she played inpiano trio concerts at Strathgarry House in Scotland and toured Holland and Germany with the Netherlands Nationaal Jeugd Orkest.
Rowena returned to Sydney in 2005 as the cellist in the Sydney Symphony Fellowship Program. During her Fellowship year she performed regularly with the Sydney Symphony and with the Fellowship Quintet, which was featured in the Sydney Symphony’s Contemporary Music Festival in July. She continues working with the orchestra in 2007 on contract. In December 2005 and January 2006 the Rosetta Trio, of which Row is a member, were guest artists onboard the ship Minerva II for it’s Andean Epic cruise up the west coast of Chile and Peru.The Trio returned to South America for concerts in January 2007.
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| David Campbell
(Double Bass) |
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David Campbell is the newest member of the Sydney Symphony Doublebass section.
He returned to Australia in 2003 after completing
his Bachelor of Music (Cum Laude) at Rice University. While
he was in the States he studied with Paul Ellison at the Shepherd
School of Music where he held the William Schiffick Scholarship.
He was the runner up in the school's concerto competition and
graduated with the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts. While in
the States he also spent two summers as a fellow at the Tanglewood
Music Centre where he studied and played with members of the
Boston Symphony.
Since Returning to Australia David has played as a casual player
with the Tasmanian Symphony, the Australian Chamber Orchestra,
the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and held a contract
with the Sydney Symphony in 2004 and 2005. He has also been
teaching at his old schools: Sydney Grammar, St Ives Preparatory
and College Street. Before leaving for the States he was a member
of the Australian Youth Orchestra, Australian National Academy
of Music, attended two National Music Camps. David was a soloist
in the 1999 "Encore" performance at the Opera House
and received his A.mus.A and L.mus.A both with distinction.
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| Emma Sholl (Flute) |
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Emma Sholl is currently Chair of Associate Principal Flute with
the Sydney Symphony. She was born in Sydney, Australia, in June
1980, and began learning the flute at age seven. Emma attended
high school at Roseville College, Sydney, where she was awarded
a music scholarship, and began her studies at the Sydney Conservatorium
of Music’s Young Artists Program in 1995. Emma’s
teachers in Australia have been Karin Hentschel, Linda Pirie,
Louise Dellit, Michael Scott, Margaret Crawford, Geoff Collins,
Rose Plummer and Alison Mitchell. Emma graduated from the Sydney
Conservatorium with First Class Honours, completing her Bachelor
of Music Degree in 2001, and was placed on the Dean’s List
of Merits.
In 1999 Emma was awarded a year’s contract in the position
of Second Flute with the Sydney Symphony, and in 2000 went on
to win the permanent position.
Emma’s awards have included 2MBS Young Performer of the
Year 1997, Symphony Australia Young Performers Award “Other
Instruments” winner 2001, National Orchestral Flute Competition
Winner 1999 and National Solo Flute Competition in 2002.
Emma has performed concertos with the Adelaide, Tasmanian and
Sydney Symphony Orchestras, and has performed as Guest Principal
Flute with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
In 2002-3, aided by the Marten Bequest, AFUW, AETT, and Dorothy
Fraser Scholarships, Emma studied in Geneva, Switzerland with
Jacques Zoon. During that time she performed in St Petersburg
and Moscow as part of the World Orchestra for Peace. Emma won
the Position of Associate Principal Flute with the Sydney Symphony in November 2003.
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| Shefali Pryor (Oboe) |
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Shefali Pryor was born in Sydney and graduated with first class
honours from the Sydney Conservatorium in 2002, studying with
Alexandre Oguey. During her undergraduate studies, Shefali participated
in numerous chamber and orchestral programs with the Australian
Youth Orchestra, touring widely around Australia. Shefali was
also a member of the Sydney Sinfonia from 2000-2002.
In 2003 Shefali was awarded a contract as 2nd Oboe with the
Sydney Symphony and in 2004 was subsequently successful in winning
the permanent position, making her the youngest member of the
orchestra. Over 2004 and 2005 she was granted leave from the
SSO to undertake a year of postgraduate study with Professor
Stefan Schilli at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg. During
this time she also participated in a mastercourse with Professor
David Walter from the Paris Conservatoire. Since returning,
Shefali has commenced a contract as Associate Principal Oboe
with the orchestra, a position she will hold until July 2006.
Shefali has performed as soloist with the Tasmanian Symphony
Orchestra as a finalist in the Other Instrumental category of
the Young Performer Awards and in 2006 will perform as soloist
with Nigel Kennedy in performances with the Sydney Symphony and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. She has toured nationally
with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and participated in performances
with the orchestra at the Huntington Music Festival. Shefali
has worked as a casual musician with the Australian Opera and
Ballet, Sydney Philharmonia and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras,
and collaborated with the Southern Cross Wind Soloists, performing
at the 2004 Bangalow Music Festival.
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| Casey Rippon (Horn) |
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Casey was born in Newcastle in 1983, where she completed
a bachelor of music at Newcastle Conservatorium in 2003, studying
under Geoff O'Reilly. She now lives in Sydney, studying with
Ben Jacks, freelancing with many ensembles including Sydney
Sinfonia, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Sydney
Symphony, West Australian Symphony Orchestra and Australian Chamber Orchestra. In her spare time, Casey enjoys all
things to do with wine, cheese and haberdashery.
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| Kate Golla (Piano) |
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Kate Golla is a Sydney based pianist, who graduated from
the Sydney Conservatorium with a piano accompaniment major
in 2000. Since then, she has worked with the Sydney Philharmonia
and Cantillation Choirs, Opera Australia, the Sydney
Symphony, Pinchgut Opera, Tasmanian Symphony
Orchestra, as well as performing in broadcasts and recitals
with many distinguished singers and instrumentalists.
In July of 2005, Kate was asked to participate in an international
music festival in Italy, and in December, she will be performing in
Prague as a prizewinner of the London based Anglo-Czech Trust
competition. She is the winner of the 2005 Opera Foundation
Bayreuth Scholarship, enabling her to undertake research in
Germany. Kate has worked with many leading conductors, including
Lorin Maazel and Charles Dutoit, and has been a staff accompanist
at the Sydney Conservatorium since her graduation.
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| Matthew Ockenden
(Bassoon) |
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Matthew was born in Sydney in 1973 and began learning the
piano at age five. He attended the Conservatorium High School
where he studied the piano with Gerard Willems and Margaret
Hair, and began learning the bassoon with Gordon Skinner when
he was thirteen years old.
In 1995 Matthew completed a Bachelor of Music Degree at the
Sydney Conservatorium of Music, majoring in Bassoon, and the
following year toured America and Europe with the Australian
Youth Orchestra. He remained in Europe from 1996-1998 studying
with Karl Otto Hartmann, Gustavo Nunez, and Matthew Wilkie,
and on his return to Australia, Matthew won the position of
Section Soloist with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra,
which he currently holds.
Matthew has worked with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
with which he toured to Japan and Korea in 2001, the Tasmanian
Symphony, the Sydney Symphony and the Australian Chamber Orchestra,
as well the Australia Ensemble and many other chamber music
groups.
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| Mission Statement |
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Our mission is to present high quality, challenging and exciting musical works drawn from the large corpus of chamber music repertoire.
These works will be performed at venues that support SOE's evolution in the marketplace and provide our audience with an intimate and unique musical experience.
To achieve this mission SOE will focus on meeting the demanding requirements of a group of highly talented musicians.
SOE will focus on continuing to source a range of external funding drawn from government, corporate and individual sponsors.
SOE aims to be recognized as one of Australia's foremost chamber music ensembles.
Top of page
Patron
Fr Arthur E Bridge OAM AM
Board Members
Robert Titterton - Chairman
David Rowden - Artistic Director
Katie Betts
Helen Cameron
Wendy Hardy
Thea Rosenbaum
Bruce Terry
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