Orchestra
West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Please click on the musicians' name to view their biography.
Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser
Paul Daniel
Partnered by Wesfarmers Arts
Conductor Laureate
Vladimir Verbitsky
Concertmaster
Giulio Plotino
Associate Concertmaster
Margaret Blades*
Violin
Semra Lee Assistant Concertmaster
Graham Pyatt A/ Principal 1st Violin
John Ford Principal 2nd Violin
Zak Rowntree Assoc Principal 2nd Violin
Kylie Liang Assistant Principal 2nd Violin
Sarah Blackman
Fleur Challen
Stephanie Dean
Dorothy Ford
Beth Hebert
Shaun Lee-Chen*
Akiko Miyazawa
Anna O'Hagan
Melanie Pearn
Ken Peeler
Brendon Richards
Louise Sandercock
Jolanta Schenk
Jane Serrangeli
Ellie Shalley
Jacek Slawomirski
Bao Di Tang
Cerys Tooby
Rebecca White
David Yeh
Viola
Giovanni Pasini Principal
Berian Evans Assoc Principal
Kierstan Arkleysmith
Nik Babic
Alex Brogan
Katherine Drake
Alison Hall
Rachael Kirk
Allan McLean
Helen Tuckey
Cello
Rod McGrath Principal
Louise McKay Assoc Principal
Shigeru Komatsu
Oliver McAslan
Nicholas Metcalfe
Eve Silver
Fotis Skordas
Tim South
Xiao Le Wu
Double Bass
Andrew Rootes* Principal
Joan Wright Assoc Principal
Christine Reitzenstein
Louise Ross
Andrew Tait
Mark Tooby
Flute
Andrew Nicholson Principal
Mary-Anne Blades Assoc Principal
Piccolo
Michael Waye Principal
Oboe
Leanne Glover A/ Principal
Benjamin Opie A/ Assoc Principal
Elizabeth Chee A/ Principal Cor Anglais
Clarinet
Allan Meyer Principal
Lorna Cook
Bass Clarinet
Alexander Millier Principal
Alessandrino Property Group Chair of Principal Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Jane Kircher-Lindner Principal
Adam Mikulicz Assoc Principal
Horn
David Evans Principal
Malcolm Stewart Assoc Principal
Robert Gladstones Principal 3rd
Jenna Breen
Francesco Lo Surdo
Rachel Silver
Trumpet
David Elton Principal
Evan Cromie Assoc Principal
Peter Miller
Trombone
Joshua Davis Principal
David Robins A/ Assoc Principal
Bass Trombone
Philip Holdsworth Principal
Tuba
Cameron Brook Principal
Timpani
Alex Timcke Principal
Percussion
Tim White Principal
Troy Greatz Assoc Principal Percussion & Timpani
Harp
Sarah Bowman Principal
*Instruments used by these musicians are on loan from Janet Holmes à Court, AC.
Adam Mikulicz
Associate Principal Bassoon
Adam completed a Bachelor of Music degree at The Victorian College of the Arts.
He also spent three years studying music at the Australian National Academy of Music, where he performed in many chamber and solo recitals.
In 2008 and 2009 Adam spent time in Europe gaining further experience by having lessons from some of Germany's finest bassoonists.
Most recently he was a resident of the Bern Hochschule in Switzerland, receiving weekly lessons from the principal bassoon of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra.
Adam has performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, The Queensland Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra.
Alex Millier
Principal Bass Clarinet
A member of WASO since 1996, Alex Millier is the principal bass clarinetist and often performs as associate principal clarinet.
Alex graduated in 1987 from the Elder conservatorium of music at the University of Adelaide in Bachelor of Music in Performance, where he studied with David Shephard.
After graduating, Alex was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra tour to Europe, London and Singapore in 1988.
He has performed with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.
Prior to his appointment at WASO, Alex was a member of the Band of the South Australia Police from 1993 to 1996.
Alex's other musical activities currently include chamber music with the Arundo reed quintet and the folk music ensemble, Musica del Mondo.
He is passionate about good coffee and recently completed an introductory commercial barista course with the WA Barista Academy.
Alex also loves engaging with audiences via social media and can be reached on twitter @AlexMillier.
Alex Timcke
Principal Timpani
Alex studied Timpani and Percussion with Richard Smith at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide, and then with Alan Cumberland in Brisbane.
During this time Alex was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra and played as Principal Timpanist on their 1988 European tour.
After working in the Adelaide, Queensland and Western Australian Symphony Orchestras, Alex joined WASO as Principal Timpanist, a position he has held since 1991.
Since then he has also worked with a variety of smaller ensembles, including touring nationally with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Alex has taught at both the University of WA and the WA Academy of Performing Arts, and maintains a connection with youth music through AYO, WAYO and National Music Camps.
Allan Meyer
Principal Clarinet
Allan was born in Perth and studied with WASO's Principal Clarinet, Jack Harrison, graduating from UWA with a Master of Music (Performance) degree and completing post graduate studies in London with John McCaw, Antony Pay and Jack Brymer.
Allan has been Principal Clarinet with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra since 1990. His distinguished career has seen him perform in many parts of Australia.
He teaches at the School of Music at the University of WA and at the WA Academy of Performing Arts. He has appeared regularly in lunchtime recitals and chamber music concerts.
Allan has also performed in numerous broadcasts for the ABC and for the Universities in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.
In 1997 and 1999, Allan performed and taught in Massachusetts, USA.
He was Guest Principal Clarinettist for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and performed in the Musicorda, Mohawk Trail and Williamstown Chamber Music Festivals.
After seven years with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Allan returned to Perth as Principal Clarinet.
Allan has appeared as soloist in the Mostly Mozart Series, Symphony under the Stars, Great Classics and WASO Chamber Players. He performed the Mozart Clarinet Concerto to full houses in April 2005 as part of the WASO’s Master Series.
In 2007 he performed in the Australian Premiere of Richard Mills' Concerto for Violin and Clarinet and in December 2009 performed the World Premiere of James Ledger's Clarinet Quintet at the Utzon Room in the Sydney Opera House.
At the 2011 PIAF Allan performed in the world premiere of Blackwood by Iain Grandage and Kevin Gillam.
Andrew Nicholson
Principal Flute
Born in Hampshire, England, Andrew began playing the flute at the age of eight and joined the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in March 2010.
In 1985 he won a scholarship to study at Chetham’s School of Music, where he was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition, before attending the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Whilst there, he regularly recorded and performed with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
Andrew has held principal flute positions with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Hallé, Royal Philharmonic and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
He has recorded as a concerto soloist with the Hallé and Sir Mark Elder and with the Royal Philharmonic and John Rutter. He performs session work in London, and can be heard on various film and television soundtracks, including the two most recent Harry Potter motion pictures.
Andrew has also performed with the world’s best in classical music including the Hebrides Ensemble, the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.
He regularly holds masterclasses at several London music colleges, including the Royal Academy of Music and has been an outside examiner for the GSMD and the Royal Northern College of Music.
Andrew has appeared on BBC Television as a panellist for the finals of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition and coaching the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He plays on a Miyazawa solid platinum flute with 14-carat gold keys.
Andrew Rootes
Principal Double Bass
Andrew started playing the double bass at ten years of age in Brisbane, Australia.
In 1989 he began music studies at the University of Queensland and was soon playing as principal bass with the Camerata of St Johns’ Chamber Orchestra. He later appeared as soloist with this orchestra, as well as with the University of Queensland Chamber Orchestra.
After completing a Bachelor of Music degree with honours in performance, he became sought after as a substitute player with both the Queensland Philharmonic and Queensland Symphony Orchestras.
While filling contracts in both orchestras, including as principal double bass, Andrew also founded and managed his own music academy. The Toombul Music Academy flourished to a successful school employing 13 teachers tutoring over 250 students.
After its three-year development, Andrew decided to pursue a performance career overseas.
In 1996 Andrew moved to Vienna, Austria to study under Professor Josef Niederhammer at the Vienna University for Music and Performing Arts. After his first year of study Andrew was awarded a contract position with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he remained until 2000, when he was accepted as a full-time member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
Andrew performed regularly with various ensembles in Vienna and abroad including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
He also held the position of principal double bass with the Vienna Classical Players, Vienna Symphony Baroque Ensemble and the Wiener Kammermusiker.
In addition to his performing engagements Andrew is very active in teaching. His former students perform in professional orchestras in Europe and Australia. He has also given masterclasses in Australia and America.
In 2007, Andrew left the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and took up the position of principal double bass with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
He teaches double bass at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and continues to give masterclasses at Australia's leading music institutions including the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane and the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne.
Andrew regularly appears in chamber music festivals including the Soft Soft Loud Festival in Fremantle, the Music on the Terrace series at the Perth Government House and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Townsville.
He continues to perform solo recitals and was feature soloist at the National Conference for the Australian Strings Association in 2006 and 2009.
Andrew was invited to perform with the Australian World Orchestra in 2011.
Andrew plays on a Gagliano double bass generously supplied by Janet Holmes à Court AC.
Andrew Tait
Double Bass
Andrew's career as a luthier has been closely aligned with his development as a professional double bass player. Both careers have grown out of his passion and devotion to the instrument which has been the focus of his life's work.
From 1980-1985 Andrew studied double bass with John Gray (a Principal player with The London Symphony Orchesta and a founding member of The Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and studied at Sydney University for a Bachelor of Music Degree, majoring in Performance.
In the same period of 1981-1985 Andrew studied double bass restoration with Alan Riley at The Bass Shop in Sydney. After this he began a continuing association with Harry Vatiliotis (a Violin maker and restorer.)
During 1985-1989 he was Associate Principal Bassist with the State Orchestra of Victoria. Following which he became WASO’s Tutti Double Bassist until 2008, where he at one stage took a four month sabbatical leave to travel to Chicago and study with Joseph Guastafeste (Principal Bassist Chicago Symphony Orchestra).
In 1999 Andrew travelled to Norway for four months to play as Associate Principal Bassist with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra.
He won a Churchill Fellowship in 2006 to study Advanced Techniques in the Art of Double Bass making and Restoration in London with Roger Dawson, who has spent his entire working life in the industry, specializing in double bass making and restoration.
Each year Andrew continues to spend at least four weeks working with Mr Dawson.
His Churchill Fellowship also included a visit to the National Museum of Musical Instruments in Rome where he studied and catalogued their outstanding collection of old Italian double basses.
Andrew was then invited by the museum to return and set up a conservation room to restore their collection of double basses.
By 2008 he has achieved four "Tait" basses playing in the WASO bass section, one of which was commissioned by the Victorian College of the Arts and another two are currently under construction for the Conservatorium of New South Wales.
Andrew won a development grant in 2009 from the Department for Culture and the Arts WA to spend three months in London, and with the assistance of Roger Dawson, design and build an orchestral five stringed double bass.
He has also taught double bass at Churchlands Senior High School, Mercedes College, and St Mary's Anglican Girls School, where he also conducted string orchestra. He has additionally tutored for the Sydney and Western Australian Youth Orchestras.
Anna O'Hagan
Violin
Anna O’Hagan commenced her violin studies at the age of three, at a local Suzuki school. She began studies with Paul Wright from the age of eleven, and was awarded her Diploma of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music at the age of 13.
Anna first performed with the Australian Youth Orchestra in 2003 and in 2007 and 2010 she toured with the orchestra to Europe. In January 2009 she led the Bishop Orchestra at National Music Camp in Adelaide and was co-concertmaster on the Australian Youth Orchestra.
In 2008 she completed her studies at the UWA School of Music graduating with a Bachelor of music degree with First class honours. Anna commenced further study with William Hennessy at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) in 2009, frequently playing with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra during her time there. In 2011 she successfully auditioned for the ACO Emerging Artists Program, and has been involved in tours with Lara St John and Thomas Gould.
Anna has been involved in many chamber music groups. She was a member of The Emerald Hill String Quartet, which performed frequently in Melbourne. They were finalists in the Melbourne Recital Centre’s ‘Great Romantics Competition’ and appeared in their Chamber Music Series. They also participated the Winter Music program at The Banff Centre in Canada under the guidance of Henk Guittart.
Cameron Brook
Principal Tuba
Born in Sydney, Cameron's musical journey started in high school when his parents insisted he learn an instrument. Not at all happy about this, he decided to show them the "error of their ways" and chose "the most absurd and unlikely instrument that the school owned."
To his surprise he found himself enjoying playing in the bass register and began his musical career in his school’s orchestra, the local brass band, Sydney Youth Orchestra and 10 years later joined WASO.
Cameron joined the Australian Youth Orchestra at the age of 16 and was Principal Tuba for five years. He also toured China with the AYO in 1979.
He then moved to Melbourne to study at the Victorian College of the Arts, graduating in 1981.
His first professional engagement was as guest Principal Tuba with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at 17. Cameron joined the West Australian Symphony Orchestra as Principal Tuba in 1983, at the age of 22.
In addition to appearing as a soloist with WASO, he has played as guest Principal Tuba with the Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland Symphony orchestras.
He has also played with the Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta.
When not playing tuba he enjoys hands on things, ranging from being an owner-builder to making and repairing electronics, and is President of the local primary school P&C.
He has two young children and considers himself very lucky to have the rewards of a close and loving family.
David Elton
Principal Trumpet
Raised in Sydney, David studied with Paul Goodchild. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the Queensland Conservatorium, and a Master of Music from Northwestern University, USA, where he studied with Charles Geyer.
Prior to his appointment at WASO in 2005, David played as Principal Trumpet with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for four years.
He has performed as a guest with the Sydney Symphony, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Queensland Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
David also enjoys chamber music and is a founding member of the Australian Brass Quintet (www.australianbrassquintet.com.au)
He was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and performed in the orchestra’s Carnegie Hall debut concert in New York under Daniel Barenboim.
In recent years David has been sought after as a soloist and recitalist. Solo performances include Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto with both the ASO and the WASO, and the world premiere of James Ledger’s Trumpet Concerto with the WASO.
He recently gave performances of the Richard Mills Concerto with the Adelaide Symphony in February and the James Ledger Concerto with the Australian National Academy of Music Orchestra under the baton of Sebastian Lang-Lessing in March.
David is committed to teaching and is Head of Brass at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
He has also held teaching positions at the Queensland Conservatorium, Adelaide University, and the University of Western Australia. He was the trumpet tutor at the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp in both 2008 and 2009.
Fotis Skordas
Cello
Fotis has been with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra since 1988.
He was a founding member of Quartet Noir and the I Cellisti cello quartet, which has toured around Australia and numerous times to Japan.
First picking up the cello at age 9, he has since then competed in various Eisteddfod during high school years and studied with Georg Pedersen and Janis Laurs (then Cellist for the Australian String Quartet) in Adelaide.
Fotis enjoys good food and keeping fit and is studying Renewable Energy Engineering at Murdoch “for fun”.
Giovanni Pasini
Viola
Giovanni Pasini grew up in Rome and Sardinia, Italy, surrounded by a family of musicians. At the age of 10 he began studying violin, but soon developed a fascination for the deep, rich tone of the viola and decided to switch his studies to that instrument. However, his love for violin has never left him, and he graduated in both instruments.
In 1994 Giovanni joined the Italian Youth Orchestra, where conductors such as Giulini, Muti and Sinopoli inspired him to pursue an orchestral career. In 1996 he was selected to join the European Union Youth Orchestra with whom he toured Europe under the baton of Sir Colin Davis, Bernard Haitink and Gennadi Rozhdestvensky. He subsequently moved to France to study at the Lyon Conservatoire and in 2000 undertook postgraduate studies in Holland at the Maastricht University under Michael Kugel, a celebrated virtuoso viola soloist.
Giovanni began his professional career as a Principal Viola in Milan when he was selected by Riccardo Chailly to join the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano "G.Verdi". Since then, he has been appointed Principal Viola of the Opera Theatres in Cagliari and Trieste (Italy), the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), the Orquestra Sînfonica do Estado de São Paulo (OSESP), and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, where he currently works.
In the past few years he has also been invited as a Guest Principal Violist with various orchestras including Opera de Lyon, La Monnaie (Brussels), Ciudad de Granada, Symphonica Toscanini (Rome), BBC Philharmonic (Manchester), BBC Wales (Cardiff), RAI (Italian Radio National Orchestra) and Les Violons du Roy (Québec).
Giovanni has appeared several times as soloist with the orchestra of Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, the Malaysian Philharmonic and the São Paulo State Symphony under the baton of Vittorio Parisi, Mathias Bamert and Yan Pascal Tortelier, receiving unanimous positive reviews from the press. He has also performed together with his organist father, Enrico, in several organ festivals throughout Europe.
He has given premières of works written for him by Italian composer Mario Pagotto. He has recorded several of these on the CD "Dove Dimora La Luce" released in 2001 by Velut Luna to critical acclaim. These recordings have also been broadcast by Italian Radio (RAI).
Giovanni is a dedicated teacher and in recent years has led master-classes at the Maastricht and Shanghai conservatories, as well as coaching and conducting students on the MPO Outreach Programme and members of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.
HELEN TUCKEY
Viola
Helen Tuckey has been a violist in WASO since 1982, with brief interludes for professional and family reasons. Starting piano at age 8, viola lessons followed four years later.
In teen years she was fortunate to gain experience on the front desk of both the Melbourne and Australian Youth Orchestras and tour overseas several times. Studying with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Principal Paul O’Brien she graduated in viola at the Victorian College of the Arts. There were also lessons with William Primrose, one of the 20th century’s greatest violists.
Using funds from scholarships and casual work with MSO, post-graduate studies followed with legendary violist, teacher and composer Lillian Fuchs at New York’s Manhattan School of Music.
As well as working in WASO, Helen enjoys playing in contemporary, baroque and chamber groups. A keen advocate of music and string education, Helen teaches her instrument and is involved with the WA committee of the Australian Strings Association. As an Australian Music Examinations Board examiner, she contributes extensively to viola syllabus development and has commissioned repertoire for viola. As performer and presenter, she has worked in a great variety of schools and communities throughout WA as well as in many small and larger ensembles such as the WASO Education Chamber Orchestra.
Other passions are her family, nature, literature and the visual arts.
Jane Kircher-Lindner
Principal Bassoon
Jane studied at Victoria University of Wellington and graduated with a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours.
After being awarded the Patricia Pratt Scholarship, she continued her studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, completing a Master of Music in Orchestral Performance. Originally from New Zealand, Jane moved to Perth in 2006 to take up her position of Principal Bassoon with WASO.
She was previously Principal Bassoon with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, a position she was appointed to at age 23.
Jane has performed with every major orchestra in New Zealand, including several appearances with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as guest Principal Bassoon.
She has appeared as soloist with St Matthews Chamber Orchestra (Auckland), the Victoria University Orchestra (Wellington) as a winner of the Victoria University Concerto Competition, and with WASO in 2009 performing Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante.
A keen chamber musician, she regularly performs with a variety of ensembles including the Arundo Reed Quintet, with whom she has recorded for ABC Classic FM.
Jane currently teaches bassoon at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the University of Western Australia.
Jane Serrangeli
Violin
Jane attended the University of Western Australia and the Western Australian Conservatorium of Music and obtained a Bachelor of Music.
During this time she won the Margot Bello Prize for Chamber Music and was a member of the Western Australian and Australian Youth Orchestras on their respective tours to Singapore and Europe.
As a student at Methodist Ladies’ College, Jane studied with Margaret Gunson. Subsequent teachers included Alan Bonds, Peter Exton, Vojtech Hlinka, Erica Toth and Paul Wright.
In 1993 she became a casual musician with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, before becoming a full time member in 1996.
Jane attended the Keshet Eilon International Summer Master course in Israel in 1995 and performed in the final concert at the Opera house at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Centre.
She then travelled to Spain to attend the Curs Internacional de Musica, where she studied with Felix Ayo and performed in a trio as part of the concert series.
A passion for violins saw Jane journey on to Cremona in Northern Italy, where she observed the renowned violin maker Ricardo Bergonzi.
Next she travelled to Lyon, France, where she attended Les Musicades chamber music festival.
Jane was a founding member of Quartet Noir in 1998 which played extensively at WASO corporate functions, performed with Jane Rutter at the Leeuwin concert, was Ensemble in Residence at Penrohs College and gave performances at Cottesloe Civic Centre, Subiaco Theatre Centre and The WASO Chamber Music Series.
As a freelance musician Jane has been Guest Concertmaster with the Fremantle Chamber Orchestra, St Georges Cathedral Orchestra and has performed with the Elandra Ensemble, W.A. Mozarteum, UWA Choral Society, Vienna Pops Orchestra, Perth band, Sweet Blue Midnights, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles and Electric Light Orchestra.
She also formed the Azure Piano Trio and The Florentine Trio which performed at venues around Perth and in the Perth Hills.
Currently Jane’s concert instrument is a W.E. Hill and Sons violin from 1890, made in London.
JOAN WRIGHT
Assoc Principal Double Bass
Joan is Associate Principal Double Bass with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, a position she has held for the past 19 years.
She is also solo bassist with Elision, a new music ensemble now based in the UK. With Elision, Joan has performed Australian and world premieres of solo bass pieces as well as ensemble pieces commissioned and written especially for the group.
Elision has toured throughout Australia and Europe and is currently ensemble in residence for the University of Huddersfield in the UK.
Joan has performed with a number of chamber ensembles both within WA and nationally, including the Australian Chamber Orchestra and at the Australian Chamber Music Festival, as well as performing solo recitals and teaching at various double bass conferences and music camps both in Australia and the USA.
She teaches both privately and for the University of Western Australia. Many of her students are now playing professionally in Australia and overseas.
Kathie Drake
Viola
Kathie was born in Melbourne, where she studied violin with Jean Lehman and Nathan Gutman.
She completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Literature at Melbourne University. Following this she furthered her violin studies with Robert Pikler in Sydney and Jan Sedivka in Tasmania, where she obtained a Diploma of Arts in Music from the Tasmanian Conservatorium.
Kathie was the Principal 2nd Violin in the Queensland Theatre Orchestra before studying viola in Germany with Bruno Giuranna, and Christoph Schiller in Switzerland.
She freelanced in several Swiss Orchestras including Lucerne, Winterthur and Aarau before joining the Zurich Chamber Orchestra for three years.
Kathie was a member of several Chamber Ensembles including Musica Orfea, L’Estro String Quartet and Chamber Orchestra, the Lucerne Chamber Soloists and die Zuercher Barocksolisten.
She has also played in the orchestra supporting La Scala ballet and several opera festivals in Northern Italy, and has toured widely in various ensembles in Europe and South America.
Kathie has been a member of the WASO viola section since 1988. She was a member of Camerata WA and String Quartet Noir and has performed chamber music with several ensembles, including the Elandra ensemble and Darlington Concerts Series.
Kylie Liang
Assistant Principal 2nd Violin
Perth-born violinist Kylie Liang has recently returned home to take up her role Assistant Principal 2nd Violin with WASO.
From 2004 to 2007 Kylie was a full scholarship student at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne, studying with Alice Waten.
In 2006 she was first prize winner of the Geelong Advertiser Music Scholarship and the National Open Concerto Competition at the Fremantle Eisteddfod, receiving the Gascoigne Silver Jubilee Award.
She also performed in the 2006 Melbourne International Arts Festival, and has performed in masterclasses with the Petersen Quartet, Henschel Quartet and St Lawrence String Quartet.
In 2007 she was a finalist in the Dorcas McClean Travelling Scholarship for Violinists and in the Hephzibah Menuhin Memorial Awards.
She has performed as a soloist with the Geelong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, the Fremantle Symphony Orchestra and the Australian National Academy of Music Orchestra.
In 2008, she appeared as soloist with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra leading Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and toured regional NSW and Queensland with the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s emerging artist orchestra.
The same year she moved to Sydney to continue studies with Alice Waten, where she completed a Master of Music Studies. Whilst at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music she was awarded the Henderson Postgraduate Coursework Scholarship, Kathleen and Allison Short Scholarship and prestigious Margaret Henderson Scholarship for overseas travel.
In 2009, Kylie was awarded a place in the Sydney Symphony Fellowship Program, performing a series of chamber music concerts around Sydney and regional NSW and the opportunity to have masterclasses with Vladimir Ashkenazy, Raphael Wallfisch, Gautier Capucon and Anthony Marwood. She reached the final of the Musica Viva Chamber Music award in 2008 and in 2009.
Kylie has participated in masterclasses given by Oleh Krysa, Felix Andrievsky, Boris Kuschnir, Daniel Gaede, Henning Kraggerud, Nikolaj Znaider, Howard Davis, Charles Castleman, Julian Rachlin, David Takeno and John Harding.
She has participated in the Accademia Chigiana Musicale Summer Music Course in Siena, studying with Boris Belkin and in April 2010, she participated in the International Musicians Seminar Prussia Cove in Cornwall, England.
Kylie has performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Australia Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra.
She has also been broadcast on ABC Classic FM on numerous occasions in the Rising Stars program.
Lorna Cook
Clarinet
Lorna was born in Scotland, where she studied clarinet with John Cushing at The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Whilst there she won the Clarinet Prize, as well as The Governors Recital Competition.
After emigrating to Perth, Lorna was appointed principal clarinet of the WA Arts Orchestra and upon its disbandment joined the clarinet section in WASO. Lorna has also taught clarinet at the University of Western Australia and the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
She regularly played with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and Scottish Opera whilst studying,and was appointed to the position of 2nd clarinet of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra when she was 20 years old. Lorna has additionally undergone lessons with Jack Brymer, Jack McCaw, and Thea King.
Credits to her name include being a finalist in The BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition and runner-up in The National Clarinet Competition. She was also awarded a scholarship to Yale University.
Margaret Blades
Associate Concertmaster
Originally from South Australia, Margaret has appeared with the Melbourne, Adelaide and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras as a soloist, as well as the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra.
She has also performed as soloist in the USA and New Zealand.
Margaret has appeared as a recitalist at the Adelaide Festival, Barossa Music Festival, and the Universities of Adelaide and Tasmania.
She has also appeared for Musica Viva and for numerous broadcasts on ABC Classic FM.
Margaret has toured internationally with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Symphony and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
In 2004-2005 she was Co-Concertmaster of the ASO and led critically acclaimed performances of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, conducted by Asher Fisch.
As a teacher in violin, she has held positions at the University of Tasmania, and the Elder School of Music, Adelaide. She has also tutored several times for the Australian Youth Orchestra, directed the Camerata and been an AYO national audition panellist.
Nick Metcalfe
Cello
Nick commenced his tertiary studies at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, in 1999 under the tutelage of Markus Stocker. After completing his Bachelor of Music majoring in cello performance, he relocated to Adelaide where he began a period of private study with Janis Laurs.
Upon moving to Melbourne in 2005 he was accepted into the Australian National Academy of Music studying cello with Rohan de Korte and chamber music with Igor Machlak. As a member of the Banksia Trio Nick competed in the Australian National Chamber Music Competition where his group was awarded the People's Choice Award.
The following year he spent a period overseas studying privately with Howard Penny in Vienna.
Nick returned to Australia and became a member of the WASO cello section in 2008 - a role he very much enjoys.
Aside from music Nick's interests include poker and the little known sport of bike polo.
Nik Babic
Viola
Nik began his musical training in Belgrade, Serbia, where he was also a member of the Belgrade Youth Philharmonic. He subsequently earned the Bachelor and Master Degrees from the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. His principal teachers included Walter Trampler, Marcus Thompson and James Dunham and in chamber music program members of the Cleveland, Vermeer, Kolisch and Borromeo String Quartets.
While in Boston Nik regularly performed with The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra where he occasionally played as a section principal, New Hampshire Symphony, Harvard Modern Music Ensemble and has collaborated with the chamber music program at MIT. He appeared at music festivals such as Sarasota in Florida, Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, Apple Hill in New Hampshire, Sunflower in Kansas and Main Academy of the Arts. He toured with the Filharmonie Der Nationen throughout Germany and was chosen to participate in the ‘Winter in Jerusalem’ Orchestral Academy in association with the Jerusalem Philharmonic in Israel.
Nik moved to Australia in 1998 where he held various contract positions with the Sydney Symphony, Adelaide Symphony and Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra before being appointed a permanent member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in 2002.
Outside music, Nik is an avid tennis player and a keen photographer whose photos have been exhibited at the WA Museum and local art galleries as well as chosen finalist in WA Music Industry Association’s photography competition.
Rachel Silver
Horn
Rachel was raised in Melbourne, and came to the horn at the relatively late age of 15, after learning other instruments. She completed her Bachelor of Music at the Victorian College of the Arts with first class honours, studying with Graeme Evans.
She then went on to complete the Advanced Performance Program at the Australian National Academy of Music, tutored by Michael Thompson.
Rachel joined the horn section of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in 2006. She has also performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony, the Melbourne Symphony, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, The Queensland Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria.
She was a member of the Jeunesses Musicales World Youth Orchestra, and toured to Europe and Asia with this group. On her return to Australia, she moved around the country performing contracts with almost all of the Australian symphony orchestras, before winning the position with the WASO.
Rachel is also an accomplished pianist, having completed her L.Mus.A, and performs regularly as an accompanist and associate artist in recitals.
Rob Gladstones
Principal 3rd Horn
Rob was born in Perth and began learning violin and euphonium when he was seven, before settling on the horn at 13. He studied horn at the Canberra School of Music with Hector MacDonald, graduating in 1985.
During his student years he was a member of the West Australian Youth Orchestra, the Canberra Youth Orchestra and the Australian Youth Orchestra.
Rob took up the position of 2nd Horn in the Sydney Elizabethan Orchestra (Now the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra) in 1986 and was appointed Associate Principal in 1988.
During his time in Sydney he played with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Australian Chamber Orchestra as well as Chamber Music, musicals, and many soundtrack and jingle recordings.
He moved back to Perth in 1989 to take up the position of Associate Principal Horn with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, moving to his current position of Principal 3rd Horn in 1995.
Rob is very active as a teacher and is currently a staff member at the WA Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University, where he teaches horn and directs the WAAPA Horn Ensemble. He also teaches brass at Perth College, as well as privately.
When he is not playing or teaching horn he is busy repairing and servicing brass instruments!
Rod McGrath
Principal Cello
Rod took up the cello at the relatively late age of 11 and by the age of 15 had played Haydn’s D major cello concerto with his local youth orchestra.
Only a year later he performed his first professional engagement as a principal cellist in Dudley Opera’s season of Verdi`s Nabucco. At this time he also joined the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, where he met his professor to be Douglas Cameron and Simon Rattle, who he was to perform with on many occasions.
Rod studied cello at the RAM, and his first concert at the Academy was on piano playing the bottom half of Stravinsky`s arrangement of the Rite of Spring for four hands.
He was made principal cello of the Academy’s First Orchestra in his first term at the Academy and formed a string quartet with Elizabeth Hunt (Wallfish), Paul Willey and Mirion Glass, which was coached by Sydney Griller.
At this time Rod also started to work as a casual with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. He gave the 2nd performance in Britain of Schostakovitch’s 2nd cello concerto with Simon Rattle conducting at St Giles in Cripplegate.
At the beginning of his third year at the RAM he was given leave of absence to tour with Scottish Theatre Ballet as Principal Cello.
Later that year just before his 21st birthday, he was appointed no. 2 cello in the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Four years later Rod was appointed Co-Principal Cello of the London Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for 20 years.
Throughout his career Rod has worked with many of the world’s greatest conductors including Haitink, Boult ,Svetlanov ,Tennstedt, Previn, Bohm, Abbado, Guilini, Kleiber, Bernstein, Barenboim, Rattle, Jansens and Gergiev.
During his time with the LSO he also recorded many sound tracks for films including the Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Superman Trilogies, Dracula,Tess, Dark Crystal, lifeforce, Aliens,Willow, the Man Without a Face,Shadowlands and many more.
In 1997 Rod made the move to Australia with his family to take up the position as Principal Cello with WASO.
During his first years here he joined the Australian Piano Quartet with Peter Exton Berian Evans and Roger Smalley, which gave many concerts in WA and also toured Australia for Musica Viva.
Rod recently performed Korngolds Cello concerto with WASO to great critical acclaim.
He is now an Australian citizen and lives in Nedlands, Perth with his wife Nicki and two youngest children.
Sarah Blackman
Violin
Sarah joined WASO in June 2010 following her studies at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne from Bill Hennessy, Monica Curro and Paul Wright during 2008 to 2009.
Before moving to Melbourne she completed a Bachelor of Music degree at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide in 2007, where she has studied with Terence Tam, the Concertmaster of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and Keith Crellin.
Sarah appeared as Concertmaster of the Elder Chamber and Symphony Orchestras on numerous occasions and as soloist she performed with the Elder Chamber Orchestra.
Additionally, she regularly performed for the Music Lovers Society and Recitals Australia, for whom she was a 2007 award winner.
At university she was the recipient of the Christ Church and Eugene Alderman Violin Scholarships, and while resident at Melbourne University’s Ormond College received the Bill and Joan Paterson Scholarship and the Kaye Scott Instrumental Scholarship.
Other awards include the Suzanne and Arved Kurtz and the 2004 Australian Strings Association Awards.
Sarah has played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, as well as performing with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in their TSO/AYO collaborations on multiple occasions.
From 2006 to 2008 she toured nationally with the Australian Youth Orchestra and has been a principal player in various AYO programs. In 2007 she performed in the AYO’s 50th anniversary international tour to Europe, performing at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and throughout France and Germany.
In 2008 she was Concertmaster of the Bishop Orchestra at the AYO’s National Music Camp and also the Associate Concertmaster of the AYO.
Sarah has been broadcast on ABC classic FM and was awarded the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Fellowship in 2008. That same year she and fellow musicians from the Academy of Music performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra on one of their national concert tours.
Sarah Bowman
Principal Harp
Sarah is a widely experienced and versatile harpist and has both a Bachelors and Masters of Music Degree from The Juilliard School of Music, New York.
Among her academic awards are the Helena Rubenstein Foundation Scholarship and the William Randolph Hurst Scholarship. She has also been the recipient of performance awards from the Aspen Music Festival, the Pacific Music Festival and the prestigious Tanglewood Fellowship.
Sarah’s performances around the world have included: The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Tribute to John Cage at Carnegie Hall, Chamber Music Concerts at Casals Hall- Tokyo, Japan; Reykjavik Orchestra, Iceland; Tanglewood Festival Orchestra,USA; Sapporo Music Festiavl Orchestra,Japan; and the Brooklyn and Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestras also in the USA, among others.
She has enjoyed extensive touring throughout Europe with ‘A Chorus Line’ and ‘42nd Street,’ both broadway shows. Sarah has also performed in the US TV soap opera ‘The Guiding Light’ and a Willy Nelson video.
Sarah was part of the first Australian performance in Adelaide, SA of the complete ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ by R. Wagner and is also the harpist on the NAXOS recording of ‘Christmas with Paul Plishka’.
Recent engagements include performing with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra by invitation, and being asked to play for the Perth performance of Andre Bocelli’s tour.
Since 2002 she has been Principal Harp of WASO and is a Lecturer of Harp at the University of Western Australia’s School Of Music.
Semra Lee
Assistant Concertmaster
Semra was born in Penang, Malaysia and commenced violin lessons at the age of three with her mother, Hooi Tong Lee.
In 1987 her family moved to Australia and she received a music scholarship to Churchlands Senior High School, where she graduated as the top music student.
She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the WA Conservatorium of Music, studying with Pal Eder, and later obtained a Postgraduate Diploma at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam, studying with Istvan Parkanyi. Semra’s passion for chamber music was fuelled by both teachers’ prominence as string quartet players.
She was a founding member of the Halcyon String Quartet, receiving numerous scholarships to study at the Australian National Academy of Music, in the United Kingdom and at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada.
Her tutors include Hatto Beyerle, David Takeno, the Alberni Quartet and the Arditti Quartet.
In 2000 Semra won a position with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
She was appointed Associate Principal Second Violin with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and in 2009, Semra was appointed as WASO’s Assistant Concertmaster.
She is also a member of the Darlington Piano Trio (formerly the West Australian Piano Trio), resident ensemble in the Darlington Chamber Music series, which performed Brett Dean’s ‘Voices of Angels’ with the composer in 2006.
Semra played on the accompanying CD to Matt Ottley’s book, ‘Requiem for a Beast’ (awarded Picture Book of the Year in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council of Australia) and also backed Tex Perkins and Tim Rogers at the 2007 Perth Big Day Out.
In 2008 she was involved in recording Troy Roberts’ XenDen Suite for Double Quartet (jazz quartet and string quartet) which was launched in January 2009.
Semra has collaborated with composers around the world and has had various works written for her including the piano trio ‘Inscriptions’ by James Ledger, which was commissioned by the Darlington Piano Trio.
She also features regularly in the Fremantle Arts Centre Chamber Music Concerts and will participate in Etica, a new music ensemble formed in 2010.
In addition, Semra is a lecturer in violin and chamber music at the University of Western Australia and the WA Academy of Performing Arts, and loves performing in a wide variety of musical genres.
Semra was invited to participate in the Australian World Orchestra in 2011.
Shaun Lee-Chen
Violin
Shaun completed his Bachelor of Music (Performance) at the University of Western Australia in 2000 with first class Honours, studying under Paul Wright and Pal Eder.
He was the most outstanding graduate for music at the University of Western Australia in 2000, and in 2001 was accepted into the Australian National Academy’s Advanced Performance Programme in Melbourne.
In 2007 he was the winner of the prestigious ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Award, performing Shostakovich Concerto no. 1.
Since then he has appeared as soloist with the West Australian, Queensland and Tasmanian Symphony orchestras. He has also played as guest Associate Concertmaster with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and as Assistant Concertmaster with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
Shaun has played with various chamber music groups including; the Pacifica Quartet, the Hilliard Ensemble, Tin Alley String Quartet and WA Piano Trio. He also performs on period instruments, appearing regularly with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.
He has recently been invited to be part of the inaugural Australian World Orchestra (http://www.auswo.com.au).
Tim White
Principal Percussion
Tim was born in Canberra and grew up on Christmas Island, where he took up the flute and the triangle. He went on to study percussion in Sydney, Germany and the USA.
He has been awarded Masters degrees in music performance by the University of WA and the Musikhochschule Würzburg in Germany, and also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the NSW Conservatorium of Music.
Tim has held scholarships from the Australia Council, ArtsWA and the German Government, and in 1999 he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake further study in London, New York and Berlin.
He has performed with all of Australia’s professional orchestras, and has been Principal Percussionist of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra since 1985.
Tim came to Perth from the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, where he also held the position of Principal Percussionist. He has performed as a concerto soloist with the WASO and TSO in works by Darius Milhaud, Paul Creston, Per Norgard and Richard Mills, and in 1992 he performed the Australian and German premieres of Norgard’s Percussion Concerto.
Tim also leads the percussion teaching programmes at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and the University of WA.
He regularly tutors for the Australian Youth Orchestra, the WA Youth Orchestra and the National Music Camp, and is the artistic director of WAAPA’s ‘Defying Gravity’ percussion ensemble, a group which has established a national profile through its recordings and broadcasts for ABC Classic FM.
In 2003 Tim was the artistic director of the Australian National Academy of Music's 'Rhythms of Life' percussion festival, and was the music director of the Australian Youth Orchestra's 2010 National Music Camp.
Xiaole Wu
Cello
Xiaole was born in China and came to Australia in 1996 to study at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney, where he received a Masters degree.
He obtained various scholarships in the quest for his Bachelor of Music at the Shanghai Conservatorium, including a full scholarship for cello in Switzerland.
As a member of numerous orchestras, he has toured most of Asia and has worked with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra before moving to Perth.
Zak Rowntree
Associate Principal 2nd Violin
Zak was born in England and started learning the violin at the age of nine.
He won a scholarship to study at the prestigious “Chethams School of Music” with Nannie Jamieson a year later. At the age of 13 he won the open section at the Cheltenham International Competitive Festival of Music.
He read music at the University of York where he led the University Orchestra on a tour of Greece, performed concertos under Christopher Adey and formed a piano trio with his future wife Lisa during the Pablo Casals chamber music course.
Zak gave a strong commitment to the Contemporary Music Ensemble and gave the world premieres of several works. He then accepted a place at the Royal Northern College of Music on the Advanced Performance Post-graduate course, where his teacher was Maciej Rakowski.
During his time in Manchester, Zak developed his love of chamber music with lessons from the Lindsay, Fitzwilliam and Sorrel quartets and masterclasses from teachers such as Emmanuel Hurwitz.
He also gained valuable orchestral experience freelancing with the BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and English Northern Philharmonia.
Since moving to Perth in 1997, Zak has enjoyed being a member of WASO. He was appointed Associate Principal 2nd Violin in 2009.
In addition to his orchestral work, he enjoys teaching several students from home, and performs as much chamber music as he can, appearing many times on ABC Classic FM in various quartets and trios.
