Professor Peter Shixiang Zhang

Professor Zhang has been teaching the violin for more than six decades in Shanghai Conservatorium of Music, Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Australian Institute of Music. His teaching has been recognised internationally by noted violinists, including the late Sir Yuhudi Menuhin and Professor Dorothy DeLay.  

Professor Zhang has been a juror in many International violin competitions, including the Bach International Competition  in Leipzig in 1988, the Wieniawski Competition in Lublin, Poland in 1988, 1994;1997and 2000, the International Violin Competitions in Schontal, Germany in 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1995, the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in England in 1995,1998 and 2000, the Novosibirsk Competition in Russia in 1995;1998 and 2001, the Krakow Competition in Poland in 1996. He has also been a  member of the jury at the China National Violin Competitions.

He has published Chinese translations of many violins books. He also published a series of popular grade violin repertoire and studies including Zhang Multimedia Violin Method for Young Beginner, Violin THe First 100 Days, Zhang Shixiang Progressive Violin Repertorie Volume 1 - 8 and The Production of Primary Etude for Violin Volume 1 - 3, etc. 

Many of his former students have won many of major international prizes including Menuhin International COmpetition, Wieniawski Competition, Elizabeth Competition, etc. Many of them have been successful musician, include Ray Chen, Susie Park, Jiafeng Chen, Wei Wen, Weiwei Le, Sarita Kwok & Hiroaki Yura, etc.
 

 

Janet Davies

Janet has been teaching at Sydney Conservatorium for more than 25 years and has had numerous roles during this time, including teaching violin, chamber music and orchestral studies and Head of the Preparatory Division (now Rising Stars). She has also been very actively involved in violin pedagogy through curriculum design, lecturing and research supervision as well as through conducting professional development courses for violin teachers through the Open Academy.

Since 1985 Janet has specialised in the application of the Alexander Technique (AT) to musical performance. As a result of this extensive experience she has developed her own innovative method, The Resonant Body, enabling the AT to be readily accessible to musicians for immediate improvements in playing and performance. Currently she conducts AT classes for players in the Sydney Symphony and Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestras, as well as for secondary and tertiary students at Sydney Conservatorium.

Her students have had numerous successes in competitions as well as achieving prominent positions in Australian and international orchestras and universities. She is the recipient of several awards, including a Conservatorium Travel Grant in 1990 and a Churchill Fellowship in 2008, both of which facilitated observing leading international violin teachers, including Dorothy Delay, Igor Ozim, Natasha Boyarsky, Simon Fischer, Boris Kuschnir, Ana Chumachenco, Mihaela Martin, and Yair and Eyal Kless.
 

 

Sandra Janette Nash

After teaching in schools and universities in Canada and Australia, Sandra became a freelance teacher of Dalcroze Eurhythmics and piano in the 1990s.  At the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, she taught Dalcroze Eurhythmics for over a decade in the tertiary program (Music Education) and in the Open Academy’s Junior Training Program. As Director of Studies for Dalcroze Australia, Sandra has been conducting Summer Schools and workshops around Australia since 1994, and is a co-director of the Dalcroze Eurhythmics International Examination Board (DEIEB) with colleagues from UK, Canada and Italy. In 2003 she became a member of the Collège of the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze, Geneva. She continues to teach and examine internationally, especially in the SE Asia region. 
 

 

 

Madeline Hagon

An Australian representative rhythmic gymnast and award winning musician, Ms Madeline Hagon has taught in early years settings and schools in both Australia and the UK using Dalcroze Eurhythmics and 
Kodaly music pedagogies.

From 2007 to 2011, Madeline developed curriculum for the Wider Opportunities Schemes, a significant innovation in the UK for promoting music in schools.  She worked as a consultant to various private and public educational organisations across Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. This included creating and delivering the instrumental music and dance schemes of work for Trafford Metropolitan Council (TMC): Trafford’s Local Education Authority (LEA) in Manchester, UK. Madeline taught in up to fourteen schools a week, trained teachers to use Dalcroze in all aspects of their teaching and implemented her curriculum into the Service. 

Currently Madeline is Manager, Early Learning Pathways in the Early Childhood and Community Engagement division of the Department of Education and Training. In this role, Madeline holds the position of Queensland Coordinator for the statewide implementation of the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), contributing to the achievement of positive early childhood development outcomes and successful transition to school for young children. 

In addition to her work with the department, Madeline is the Queensland representative for Dalcroze Australia, running workshops for a range of organisations across the state and country. Madeline also holds the position Lecturer of String Pedagogy at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University.
 

 

 

Charmian Gadd

Charmian Gadd is an internationally acclaimed violinist and violist. Her rich international career has included solo performances with many of the world’s finest orchestras, chamber music and festival appearances, recording for the BBC and professorships at two American universities. Her principal teachers were Richard Goldner, Josef Gingold, Henryk Szeryng and Janos Starker.

She holds 'Diplome d'honneur' from both the Tchaikovsky and Sibelius Competitions and was a prizewinner in international violin competitions in Vienna and Philadelphia. In later years Gadd herself became a Jury member in Japan, Hong Kong, USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Moving home to Australia in 1988, Gadd became Head of the String Department at the Canberra School of Music and the Conservatorium of Music. She was a founding member of the Macquarie Trio in Australia as well as Trio Concertante based in San Francisco.

Charmian has played with all the professional orchestras in Australia and New Zealand and still performs regularly as soloist and chamber musician. Her students are some of the top professional players in Australia, the USA and China.

 

 

Sun Yi

Sun Yi was appointed Associate Concertmaster with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2007.

Sun Yi attended the Shanghai Conservatory of Music from 1988 to 1993. After graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree from the Shanghai Conservatory, Sun Yi was engaged as the Associate Concertmaster of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. He also became the leader of the Orient String Quartet, which toured Japan and France and won the special nomination prize in the 3rd Borciani International String Quartet Competition in Italy.  

In 1996, he performed Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, conducted by Geoffrey Simon at the Shanghai Festival of Arts. Later in the year, Sun Yi was promoted to Concertmaster of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and in 1997 he toured Japan with the Asia Symphony Orchestra. At the end of 1997 he moved to Australia and studied for a Master of Music degree at the Australian Institute of Music with Alice Waten and Carl Pini.

From 2002 to 2007, Sun Yi held the position of Associate Concertmaster of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. He was appointed Associate Concertmaster with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2007 and has appeared as soloist with the orchestra in Saint-Saëns's Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso and Scottish Fantasy by Bruch. In 2014 Sun Yi lead the Sydney Symphony String Quartet toured to China. He is also the founding member of the Whiteley Trio and Nexus-2MBS Virtuosi. In 2013 as Concertmaster he lead the Orchestra released the music called Compassion, composed by Nigel Westlake. The album was nominated for three ARIA Awards: Best Breakthrough Artist, Best Male Artist, and Best Independent Release, the album was also nominated for the J Award, presented by youth radio station Triple J for the "Australian Album of the Year". Sun Yi is an experienced Concertmaster in many years.

 

 

Robin Wilson

Internationally regarded pedagogue, Dr Robin Wilson is Head of Violin at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne, and also teaches in the Open Academy at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In 2019 he will also serve on the violin faculty of the Keshet Eilon Summer Mastercourse is Israel. His students have won all of the major Australian national competitions, and are prizewinners of several international competitions, including first prize in the junior division of the 2018 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition. In 2018 he was honoured with a National Award from the Australian String Teachers Association for outstanding services to string teaching in Australia.

Robin has performed widely throughout Australasia as a recitalist and chamber musician. His solo discography includes two discs of violin encores and the complete Schubert sonatas for violin and piano with pianist Kemp English (Decca and Ode Records). As a member of the acclaimed historical performance ensemble Ironwood, he tours nationally and internationally, performing at major venues and festivals throughout Australia, USA and the UK and has recorded for ABC Classics, Vexations840 and VDE-Gallo. He tours nationally as a member of the Australian Octet, is former leader of the ARCO Chamber Orchestra and has appeared as guest violinist with many leading Australian ensembles.

Robin’s research into the historically informed performance of Brahms’s music was awarded the prestigious 2014 Geiringer Prize from the American Brahms Society. He has presented lectures and recitals at Stanford and Yale Universities, City University of New York, University of Colorado, Leeds University, Royal College of Music London and the Royal Northern College of Music Manchester and given masterclasses throughout Australasia, Singapore, the UK and the USA.

Holding Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Performance and Pedagogy studying under Alice Waten, Robin has also worked with Janet Davies in Sydney, James Buswell at The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Beryl Kimber at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide, Pamela Dowsett and Jan Tawroszewicz in New Zealand and Felix Andrievsky and David Takeno in London. He plays a Gagliano workshop violin, made in Naples in 1784.

 

 

Orava Quartet

The Orava Quartet, founded in 2007 by brothers Daniel Kowalik (violin) and Karol Kowalik (cello), Thomas Chawner (viola), and joined in 2011 by David Dalseno (violin), is one of the most exciting string quartets of its generation. Known for their passionate and engaging performances, they have been hailed by The Australian as, “the future of Australian Chamber Music, the real deal.”

Orava Quartet has been invited to perform in Canada, the United States, United Arab Emirates, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Philippines, as well as for Queen Sofia of Spain and Pope Benedict XVI. The Quartet also made their debut at the Sydney Opera House for VIVID Festival (in PLANETARIUM: Sufjan Stevans, Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly) and won two major awards at the 2013 Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition in Melbourne, including the Musica Viva Australia Tony Berg Award for ‘Most Outstanding Australian Ensemble’.

2018 heralds the release of Orava Quartet’s debut album for Universal Music, for worldwide release on a major classical label in February, alongside performances for New Zealand Festival, Sydney Opera House’s Utzon Music Series, Melbourne Recital Centre, Canberra International Music Festival, Darwin Entertainment Centre and more.

 

 

David Saffir

Since 2000, David Saffir has been Director of Strings at Barker College where he works with students throughout the school as an instrumental teacher and conductor. Prior to that, he was Director of Strings at Newington College. David’s ensembles have toured successfully internationally and interstate, and have won numerous events at the Sydney Eisteddfod.

David was born into a musical family in Melbourne, Australia. After studies with Nathan Gutman in Melbourne, he went to the Tasmanian Conservatorium where he studied with Professor Jan Sedivka. In 1978, he won the State Final of the ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition and shortly after was appointed as Deputy Principal Violin in the State Orchestra of Victoria. From 1980 – 1983, he studied at the Koelner Musikhochschule with Professor Igor Ozim and members of the Amadeus Quartet. In 1983, he returned to Australia to lead the New England String Quartet, resident ensemble at the University of New England in Armidale, a position he held for three years. From 1986 – 89, he freelanced in Sydney, working with all the major orchestras.

Throughout the time he has worked primarily in education, he has continued to perform professionally as a soloist and chamber musician, featuring in a number of recital series. He is also in demand as an orchestral leader, particularly as Concertmaster of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, where he currently holds the position of Concertmaster Emeritus.

 

 

Jonathan Mui

Jonathan Mui is a Hong-Kong born Australian violinist and composer. He has studied with internationally renowned teachers such as Shi-xiang (Peter) Zhang, Charmian Gadd, and Ole Bøhn. He holds a Bachelor of Music with first class honours from the Sydney Conservatorium. Jonathan is a winner of the Kendall National Violin Competition in Australia, and the Gisborne International Music Competition in New Zealand.

During his studies, he served many times as concertmaster of the Sydney Conservatorium Chamber and Symphony orchestras. As a recitalist and chamber musician, Jonathan has worked with with such artists as Einar Steen-Nøkleberg, Geir Henning Braaten, Daniel Herscovitch, and David Fulmer. He has also given solo and chamber music recitals at the Vigeland Museum concert series in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in Oslo, Norway. In 2013 Jonathan toured internationally as a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra, performing at the Sydney Opera House, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Berlin Konzerthaus, and the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad. In the same year he also performed at the Musica Viva Festival in Sydney, and received chamber music coaching from Lambert Orkis.

With the onset of focal dystonia in late 2013, Jonathan has unfortunately needed to withdraw from performance. He is currently an honours student and tutor at the School of Mathematics at the University of Sydney, and is also teaching, composing and arranging music when time allows.

 

 

Harmonnia Junus

Australian born violinist Harmonnia Junus has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.  Most recently, she appeared with the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra on their Australian Debut Tour “The Sound of Taiwan”, performing at the Sydney Opera House and Brisbane City Hall.  Also under the baton of maestro Gernot Schmalfuss, Ms. Junus performed with the Evergreen Symphony Orchestra at the National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan and has appeared with the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra in the JiaoZi Concert Hall in Chengdu, China with conductor Xu Dong Yang. Ms. Junus has performed in venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the National Opera Center, Symphony Space, and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Ms. Junus is a founding member and Artistic director of performance collective Artists. By Any Other Name and Director of Young Artist Exchange. As an active chamber musician, Ms. Junus performs regularly with various groups.

When touring in Taiwan with pianist Eduard Laurel, the duo performed at the Taichung Seaport Arts Center, Kaohsiung Cultural Center and the National Recital Hall in Taipei. As a member of Ensemble NYC, Ms. Junus performed in New York City, South Korea and Australia. 

Harmonnia Junus earned her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from New York's Mannes College the New School for Music under the tutelage of Sally Thomas.  Other notable teachers include Dr. Goetz Richter, Daniel Phillips, Stephanie Chase and Professor Shi Xiang Zhang.

 

 

Harry Ward 

Harry has always been extremely passionate about music, the violin in particular. He is excited to be studying in Melbourne with Dr Robin Wilson at the Australian National Academy of Music. He previously studied at the Graz Kunst-Universität with Boris Kuschnir and the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings with Amy Schwartz-Moretti and David Halen.

Harry has been fortunate enough to win many prestigious awards and prizes, including the Australian National Youth Concerto Competition and as finalist in the ABC Young Performers Awards. Most importantly the competitions have afforded Harry some great opportunities to get to know other musicians who have become lifelong friends and mentors. Harry also performs with other musicians outside of the classical realm and believes these experiences have nourished his playing in all genres.

Since the age of ten Harry has frequently been asked to perform as a soloist, concert master and chamber musician; with performances throughout Australia, America, China, Mexico, Singapore and Europe. Harry has been fortunate enough to receive masterclasses/ongoing mentorship with members of the ACO, Simone Young, James Ehnes, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Donald Weilerstein, David Kim, The Penny Quartet, Alina Ibragimova, Sophie Rowell, Howard Penny and Caroline Henbest. From 2008-2013, Harry attended the Open Academy Rising Stars program at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he studied with Professor Peter Zhang, Professor Alice Waten and Joy Lee. Harry performs on a beautiful 1780 Pietro Antonio Landolfi violin on loan from anonymous but very generous benefactor/s.
 

 

Peter Garrity

Peter Garrity is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium where he studied with Charmian Gadd. He completed his Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance with 1st Class Hon. at Canterbury University, as a student of Jan Tawroszewicz. He studied on a full scholarship with the Takács Quartet’s Graduate Quartet Programme at the University of Colorado in Boulder. His quartet performed the Mendelsohn’s Octet with the Takács Quartet, won the Young Musicians Foundation Chamber Music Competition and was resident quartet at the Brevard Music Festival. They worked with musicians such as Jamie Laredo, Sharon Robinson and Randolph Kelly.

Peter has played chamber music in festivals throughout Europe and worked with teachers such as Peter Zhang, Roland Vamos and Patricia Kopec. Peter later studied viola with Randolph Kelly, Atar Arad and Toby Appel on full scholarships at Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon Universities. He has taught non-major viola at Carnegie Mellon University and worked with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Peter has created several ensembles in Sydney specialising in Balkan, Gypsy and Flamenco music. He has performed chamber music at The Crossroads Festival, with Charmian Gadd & Friends and with the Sydney Conservatorium faculty.

Peter teaches violin, viola and chamber music at several high schools in Sydney. He serves as a member of the senior chamber music artistic advisory team at the Conservatorium High School. He also teaches at Newcastle University and the Rising Stars Programme at the Conservatorium. His students have won top academic tertiary awards, music competitions in NZ and Australia. Several former students are pursuing music careers in Europe.

Peter is currently vice president of the ANZ Viola Society, and prior to that was the Head of Strings at the Central Coast Conservatorium of Music. 
 

 

Reafen Liu

Born in Taipei, Reafen moved with her family to Australia at the age of five.  She grew up in a musical family. At the age of 11 she made her solo debut in the Sydney Town Hall with the Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra. She completed secondary school at MLC School with a Music Scholarship. She performed as soloist around Europe and China and in 2008, completed her studies with Professor Shi Xiang Zhang from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music graduating with a Master of Music Studies degree. 

Since then she has worked with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, Eminence Orchestra, Sydney Lyric Orchestra, and is currently performing with the Opera Australia Orchestra at the Sydney Opera House.  

Reafen is a passionate violin and music theory teacher. Over the years, she has successfully excelled students to attain scholarships and awards from renowned schools across Sydney as well as excellent results with the AMEB. She has held teaching positions at MLC Burwood, PLC Pymble, International Grammar School, Santa Sabina College, and also teaches in her private studio.
 

 

Li Gu

Li started learning violin at the age of seven. She came to Sydney in 2007 and studied with Professor Shixiang Zhang. Her talent was recognised and she was offered first an undergraduate scholarship from Sydney Conservatorium of Music followed by a postgraduate scholarship. Recently, she was awarded her Research Master of Music (research) degree at Sydney Conservatorium of Music under the most eminent Professor Goetz Richter.

Li has won numerous awards from the age of 11 years. She is an experienced solo performer who also enjoys both chamber and orchestral performance. In 2013, Li was the Concertmaster of the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra. She accepted invitations to perform in Germany, China, Vietnam and Taipei as soloist and as part of the orchestra. 
 
Li was the assistant teacher for Professor Richter at the Conservatorium in 2015. Currently she a teaching assistant of Professor Zhang. She is also a violin teacher at Lindfield East Public School and Arco Music Academy.
 

 

Sorina Zamfir

Born and educated in Romania, Sorina received a double Bachelor of Music degree with High Distinction for both Piano Performance and Music Education from the Bucharest Conservatorium of music. From an early age she has performed and recorded extensively as a soloist and chamber musician. Upon graduating, Sorina was appointed pianist for the National Opera and Ballet and Lecturer at the Conservatorium of Music in Bucharest, Romania.

Upon moving to Sydney in 1995, Sorina opened her own private teaching and accompaniment studio. Accredited by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Sorina offers a high standard of teaching and has extensive experience with students ranging from beginners to advanced levels.

Besides her studio commitments, Sorina teaches piano at Abbotsleigh where her students are distinguished for their outstanding results in their Higher School Certificate and music exams.

As a full member of the Music Teachers Association of NSW and founding member of the Accompanists Guild of NSW, Sorina regularly collaborates with prominent teachers throughout Sydney, accompanying and coaching for auditions, master classes, recitals, graduate and postgraduate exams and national and international competitions.

Sorina is also a prominent chamber musician, winning numerous prizes in various eisteddfods throughout Sydney. She is in constant demand as an associate artist for broadcasts, recordings, concerts and competitions. She has performed at some of Sydney’s most prestigious venues such as The Sydney Opera House, The Sydney Town Hall and The Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

 

 

Melanie Lee

Since 2010 Melanie has held the position of piano teacher and accompanist at St Kevin’s College, Toorak, while continuing to work extensively as a freelance accompanist, and teach from her home studio in North Carlton, Melbourne.

After graduating from the Conservatorium High School, with a Certificate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Merit, and the Sydney Conservatorium, with a Bachelor of Music (Honours), Melanie received a Graduate Diploma of Education (secondary) from the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. She is currently completing a Masters of Performance Teaching at the University of Melbourne.

Melanie has been privileged to study the piano with Lyall Duke in Sydney, Prof Dr Tibor Szász in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, and Dr Mark McGee and Elizabeth Mitchell in Melbourne. She has benefitted from participation in summer schools with Kathryn Selby in Sydney and Claude Helffer in Salzburg, Austria, and masterclasses with Lev Vlassenko, Misha Voskressensky, Cristina Ortiz and Richard Goode. Private Alexander Technique lessons in Sydney with Mary Cerny, and in Melbourne with Jane Refshauge, have formed an important component of her education.

Melanie is the recipient of numerous awards. These include the Marie Little Prize for instrumental proficiency, and the Shadforth Hooper Prize as an outstanding recital pianist, from the Sydney Conservatorium, and the Alethea Eddy Award, from Dalcroze Australia. With associate pianist, Anne Dillon, she was the recipient of the Irene Hope Gibson Award for Piano Duo, giving numerous piano duet recitals, including one as part of Musica Viva’s Mittagong Easter Festival. Several of Melanie’s solo piano recitals have been broadcast by 2MBS-FM radio station.

 

 

Sheau-Fang Low

Honorary Artistic Director

Sheau-Fang Low holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in Performance and Pedagogy from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney; studying under Shi-Xiang Zhang, Alice Waten, Charmain Gadd and Semyon Kobets. Her influence in string pedagogy is broad and varied having studied various pedagogical approaches from notable teachers such as Janet Davies (Alexander Technique) and Géza Szilvay (Colourstrings). She has also pursued training and obtained certifications in Dalcroze Eurhythmics and Suzuki Talent Education. Her passionate interest in violin pedagogy is reflected in the topic of her Master degree research thesis.

Sheau-Fang is currently an AMEB (NSW) string examiner and violin tutor at Barker College. She has been violin pedagogue at both public and private schools, and has taught at her own studio for more than twenty years. She is a sought after teacher for her ability to adapt her teaching to suit the various learning styles of her students, and has presented sessions at various cnferences in Australia and the UK. 

She has served as committee member for AUSTA (NSW) and the Dalcroze Australia Society. She is also one of the founding committee members of the Australian Strings Academy (ASA). She has been active in violin performance, being a long standing member with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra.

 

 

Carol Chen

Director of Zhang Violin Institute, Summer School Administrator

Carol Chen has been working with Professor Zhang in promoting his multimedia violin teaching method worldwide for many years. She is instrumental in introducing the publication of Professor Zhang’s Progressive Graded Violin repertoires and etudes books to Australia. She has also organised 2016 international Zhang Violin Pedagogue Conference and 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 Sydney Zhang Violin Competitions and many concerts.

Carol has more than 15 years experience in IT project management. She is in charge of Zhang Violin websites and online teaching resource project, which has many users in Australia, New Zealand, China, Singapore, America, Canada, UK, France, Germany and many other countries. 
 

 

 

Peter and Ruth Donnelly

Foundation members of the Autralian String Academy 

Peter and Ruth Donnelly were the administrators of the 2005, 2006 and 2009 Summer Schools.  The Australian String Academy (ASA) is a not-for-profit organisation founded by Professor Shixiang Zhang and his wife Hazel, Peter and Ruth Donnelly and their son Glen Donnelly, Charmian Gadd, Christopher Bearman and Ms Sheau Fang Low. Glen studied violin with Professor Shixiang Zhang for many years. The ASA is dedicated to bringing new opportunities to young musicians of Australia, and to enriching the music community and cultural life in both Australia and abroad. Our flagship event, the International ASA Summer School, provided unparalleled opportunities for young string players and pianists. They also arranged chamber music competitions at Barker College and for 7 years established and organised the Crossroads Festival, a chamber music festival on the Central Coast. In 2011 the Australian String Academy pioneered a Special Program with the Immigration Department to allow young overseas students to study with Professor Shixiang Zhang. Peter, Ruth and Glen volunteered their time and also helped sponsor the all the events to support the Arts community within Australia and Internationally. www.asa.edu.au