Principal Player Biographies

Jo Beaumont - Artistic Director

Jo began her violin studies in Melbourne with Nathan Gutman and later studied with Franco Gulli at the Academia Chigiana in Siena, Italy. In 1977 Jo won the competition to be Deputy Leader of the Orchestra at La Scala, Milan, and stayed with this orchestra until 1996. She was also a senior member of the Philharmonic Orchestra of La Scala for many years. Jo has worked with world-renowned conductors including Kleiber, Abbado, Bernstein, Muti, Ozawa, Giulini, Maazel, Mehta, Solti, Chailly, Pretre and Chung.

In 1979 Jo became a foundation member of I Soloisti della Scala, a small soloist group founded and directed by Claudio Abbado. She has also been a member of other well-known chamber orchestras in Italy. In 1978 Jo was appointed to the G. Verdi State Conservatorium in Milan and taught there for 22 years.

Jo was Coordinator of String Studies at the Australian Academy of Music in Melbourne in 1999 and 2000 and conducted master classes in Canberra and Perth. She became Head of Studies at the Academy in 2000 and invited to be Guest Concertmaster of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra during the Olympic Arts Festival in Sydney. Jo Beaumont was appointed Concertmaster of Orchestra Victoria in June 2000.

Roger Jonsson – Deputy Concertmaster

Roger Jonsson has held regular positions in nearly all of Sweden's leading orchestras, including the Swedish Radio Symphony, the Baroque Orchestra, Stockholm's New Chamber Orchestra and the Stockholm Sinfonietta. Roger has performed in many tours throughout Sweden and Europe.

Roger was awarded a Distinction for his Degree in Music from the Edsbergs Music Institute. For this he won a scholarship to the distinguished Royal College of Music in London, and studied with Levon Chillingirian.

Following his success in the orchestras, Roger has also been involved with many of his own recitals and concerts throughout Sweden, as conductor and/or solo recitalist.

Roger now lives in Melbourne and holds the position of Deputy Concertmaster with Orchestra Victoria.

Diane Froomes - Principal Cello

Di Froomes took up the cello aged 10, due she says, to sibling rivalry. Di's school offered lessons in violin or cello and her sister had taken up the violin the year before, so Di chose cello, despite never having seen or heard one. Di says she fell in love with the instrument immediately.

Di studied with Henry Wenig at the Victorian College of the Arts and, post-graduation, Di travelled to the USA studying with Gary Hoffman and Janos Starker at Indiana University for 2 years.

Following her return to Australia, Di worked as a freelance musician before joining Orchestra Victoria in 1988 as a permanent player.

Di enjoys playing everything from Bach to Bartok, but particularly likes Schumann, Bach, Brahms and Chopin. She also enjoys playing chamber music and has performed a variety of chamber works at the Macedon Music Festival.

Di's 20 year relationship with her cello, began as a classic case of 'buried treasure'. She purchased it as a student from an elderly lady who had been storing it in a dusty attic. After some major restoration work, it was found to be an extremely fine instrument which had probably been brought to Australia in the early 1900's from Europe.

Of life as an Orchestra Victoria musician, Di speaks eagerly of 'catching the opera bug' and says "in the best moments of orchestral playing, you feel that you are part of something bigger than yourself". She particularly enjoys the drama of Strauss and Verdi operas.

Di's four children keep her very busy, but in any spare time she enjoys swimming and reading biography and history.

Davin Holt - Principal Double Bass

Davin comes from a musical family, with both parents and all five brothers playing various instruments. His father, Lance, played double bass with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra for 35 years. Davin commenced his cello music studies at the age of 11, later switching to double bass when he discovered there was lots of work around!

Davin joined the double bass section of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra at the age of 18 where he performed alongside his father. According to Davin, he did most of his learning 'on the job'. He later joined the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and thanks Principal Bassist John Mowson for his influence. In 1983 Davin was appointed Principal Double Bass with Orchestra Victoria.

Highlights of his time at Orchestra Victoria include performing operas such as Boris Gudanov and The Consul, as well as working with Carlo Menotti for the Melbourne Spoletto Festival.

In 1988/89 Davin spent time at the Spoletto Festival in Italy and freelancing in London. During this time he performed regularly with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as well as working with many other prominent London orchestras and chamber ensembles.

Davin has enjoyed working with conductors and soloists such as Walter Suskin, Yuri Temirkanov, Lorin Maazel, Richard Hickocks, Yehudi Menuhin, Yo yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman and Mstislav Rostropovich. Performing in chamber ensembles such as the Australian Chamber Soloists, Mozart Collection, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Pro Arte Orchestra, London Virtuosi and English Sinfonia have also been a highlight for Davin.

One of Davin's more unique experiences was the epic journey of the QSO to far north Queensland, living on a train for two weeks.

Stephen Robinson - Principal Oboe

Stephen Robinson has held the position of Principal Oboe of Orchestra Victoria since 1985, and is one of Australia's leading performers of contemporary music. He studied with Norman Weiner at the Victorian College of the Arts, and also for two years with Heinz Holliger at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg, Germany. He has held positions in the Queensland Theatre Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as well as having performed for a time as Solo Oboe with I Solisti Veneti in Italy. Stephen is a founding member of Melbourne Windpower. As a member of Australia's internationally acclaimed contemporary music ensemble Elision, Stephen has performed at festivals in Australia and throughout the world and has collaborated with many contemporary composers.

Stephen has recorded a CD of Australian Oboe works including the Mills Preludes and the Hindson Night Dances. Stephen lectures in oboe at the University of Melbourne and the Victorian College of the Arts, and examines for the Australian Music Examinations Board.

Paul Champion - Principal Clarinet

With extensive training and experience as an ensemble, recording and solo artist, Paul successfully auditioned for the position of Orchestra Victoria Principal Clarinet in April 2004.

Born in Sydney, Paul studied with Head of Woodwind at Sydney Conservatorium Mark Walton, and then Associate Principal of Sydney Symphony Orchestra Frank Celata. Paul also studied in London with Andrew Marriner, Anthony Pike, Julian Farrell and French virtuoso Paul Meyer.

Paul played for a number of years with SBS Television and Radio Youth Orchestra, touring to Europe, Japan, Taiwan and Tonga.

In 1997 Paul gained his Licentiate of Music (LMus) Diploma though the AMEB, and a Fellowship of Music (FMus) Diploma the following year. During this time Paul also recorded a CD of Australian clarinet music by composers including Dulcie Holland and Eric Gross.

Paul was a member of the Sydney Symphony Sinfonia program, a casual player with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra (AOBO), and the Sydney Concert Orchestra. Paul has also performed in many recording sessions for movie soundtracks and advertisements for radio and television.

Lucinda Cran - Principal Bassoon

Born in Sydney Lucinda began piano studies at the age of 6 and then bassoon, while a student at the Sydney Conservatorium High School. Her teacher was her father, John Cran, former principal bassoon with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

After graduating she spent a year in the ABC Sinfonia before taking up the position of principal bassoon of the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra in 1982, a position she held for three years before returning to Sydney to freelance. During this time Lucinda worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra before accepting the position of second bassoon in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1987, alongside her father. A highlight of this time was the SSO's Bicentennial Tour of the United States, which included a performance in Carnegie Hall.

Lucinda has been teaching the bassoon for more than twenty years and is on the staff at Melbourne University and the Victorian College of the Arts. She has had a long association with National Music Camp as a staff child, student and tutor. She was also a member of the AYO. In 1989 Lucinda took up her current position and since that time has made many recordings with Orchestra Victoria and has appeared as soloist.

She is a member of Ensemblinx and the octet Melbourne Wind Power performing with them on a successful tour of New Zealand and can be heard on their CD "A Night at the Opera".

In 2003 Lucinda performed the Weber Bassoon Concerto with the Stonnington Symphony Orchestra and in 2004 was a recitalist at the International Double Reed Society Conference in Melbourne.

Richard Runnels - Principal Horn

Richard began learning the horn at the relatively late age of 17, having started piano lessons as a toddler, and later taking up drums and playing with the marching band at his high school in Cincinnati, Ohio. His switch to the horn was the result of an accident which damaged his knee. Someone in the local music community produced a french horn from a cupboard; and a trumpet book to go with it!

Richard took to the horn very quickly and spent his last year of high school at the Interlochen Arts Academy. While studying a Bachelor of Arts majoring in religion at Indiana University, Richard took horn lessons with a visiting teacher from Salzburg, who subsequently encouraged Richard to continue lessons with him in Europe. At 21, Richard joined the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

As a member of the Vienna based chamber music group Ensemble I, Richard enjoyed performing chamber music all over the world, one memorable concert taking place on an oil rig in Saudi Arabia. Richard travelled to Australia in 1976, where the members of Ensemble I were Artists in Residence at the Victorian College of the Arts. In 1978, Richard joined Orchestra Victoria as Principal Horn. Richard has presented solo and chamber concerts around the world including performances at the festivals of Edinburgh, Salzburg, Dubrovnik, Vienna, Aspen and Spoleto.

Richard has conducted at the Italian Spoleto Festival and for The Australian Ballet, and directs Melbourne Windpower. His two solo CDs Horn Destinations and Hornucopia have received highest international praise.

In addition to Sibelius, Stravinsky, Brahms and PDQ Bach, Richard also enjoys listening to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Dread Zeppelin and Indian classical music. In his guise as a jazz player, Richard performed with Dave Brubeck, Tony Gould and Horace Tapscott. As a drummer, Richard toured with The Bee Gees and The Carpenters.

Richard lectures on art from India at the National Gallery of Victoria, W.R. Johnston Collection and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. He is the author of 'Indian Painters - British Masters, Company Paintings from the W.R. Johnston Collection'.

Scott Evans - Principal Trombone

Born and bred in Sydney, Scott pinpoints the start of his career in music to the day he, aged 11, and his younger brother Bill discovered a beautifully engraved old cornet at the bottom of a cupboard at their Granddad's place. At 90 years of age and without his teeth in, Pop gave a demonstration that made the boys clamber for a go. Bill blew the house down but Scott was less successful. "I'd say the trombone is more suited to you" suggested Pop.

With their parents' support and a year of private lessons, the boys joined then Willoughby Band and began lessons with the conductor Peter Whalmsley; who remains a lifelong mentor. Peter was a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and introduced Scott to trombonists Baden McCarron and Alan Mewitt who provided a great influence on Scott's playing. Scott competed in many competitions and was three times national junior solo champion.

In 1977 Scott won a scholarship with the ABC National Training Orchestra. Suring the 18 months that followed, he also freelanced with ensembles as diverse as The Daly Wilson Big Band, The Renaissance Players and the SSO before being appointed Principal Trombone with Orchestra Victoria at the age of 19.

Playing wonderful opera singers including Donald Smith, Placido Domingo, Jose Cura, the American baritone Sherril Milnes and the Dames Suttherland and Ti Kanawa are some of the highlights of Scott's time with Orchestra Victoria.

Scott enjoys teaching and is currently a Lecturer in Solo Performance at Monash University.

Golf, cars, motor racing and adding to his extensive wine cellar are Scott's other interests.

Scott has two young daughters with his wife Janine, herself an accomplished bass trombonist and educator.

"Trombones always play when someone dies or when the bad guy comes onto the stage"

Conrad Nilsson - Principal Percussion

Conrad Nilsson grew up in Adelaide, and after completing his Bachelor of Music in 1989 he moved to Melbourne to undertake postgraduate study at the Victorian College of the Arts. Conrad was appointed Principal Percussionist of Orchestra Victoria in 1996.

As a teenager Conrad wanted to be a rock and roll musician. He played drums and electric guitar in high school bands and was inspired by drummers such as John Bonham and Ian Paice, and later by jazz greats Philly Joe Jones and Buddy Rich.

It was not until he reached university that he discovered classical percussion. Lost on the way to class one day he found "a room full of nerdy-looking guys playing all these amazing instruments and making fascinating sounds" and "I wanted to do that too".

Conrad's performing experience covers a range of styles. As well as playing symphonic, opera and ballet repertoire he has performed in jazz groups, rhythm and blues bands, and played congas in salsa bands.

Conrad has an extensive collection of instruments and is constantly searching for new instruments and tinkering with old ones to find exactly the right sounds for the diverse repertoire the Orchestra performs. Some of the more peculiar 'instruments' Conrad has played are the pieces of railway track and steel girder used for Verdi's Anvil Chorus, a garden cultivator that makes the clinking spur noises in Fledermaus and, a favourite of Wagner's, the wind machine which looks like a game show barrel covered in canvas.

Mary Anderson - Principal Harp

Mary first played with Orchestra Victoria in the 1970's as a casual harpist, becoming a permanent member in 1988. She began her professional career as a freelance harpist immediately after finishing High School. As a young freelance harpist working in England, Mary studied privately with Tina Bonifacio and Edward Witsenburg.

Mary enjoys playing early 20th century music, particularly the music of Ravel and Debussy who wrote so well for the harp. She enjoys playing the solo harp work of Spohr, Faure and Peggy Glanville-Hicks, and says that people who are unfamiliar with the harp as a solo instrument are often surprised by the harp's extraordinary range of expressive possibilities.

Although the solo repertoire is limited, it is quite common for harpists to transcribe piano and guitar music, and Mary is adept at transcribing everything from Baroque keyboard works to popular modern songs. Mary has released two CD's of solo harp music - An Affair of the Harp and Sonata for Harp. Mary also enjoys playing chamber music, particularly works for flute and harp. Of her work with OV, Mary says she loves the opera and ballet repertoire because it is gratifying to play though often quite difficult. Mary finds one of the challenges of playing in the pit is that it is rather dark and the harp, with its red, black and natural coloured strings, is a very visual instrument; the harpist relying on the different coloured strings to differentiate the notes.

Mary plays a Salvi 'Diana' 47 string concert pedal harp which she personally chose from the Lyon and Healy factory in Chicago in 1997.