ANAM is delighted that five of our alumni and current musicians have been appointed as Emerging Artists with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) in 2025.
Violinists Harry Egerton (alum 2024), Fiona Qiu (alum 2023) and Louise Turnbull (current ANAM musician), cellist Jack Overall (pictured, current ANAM musician) and Oakley Paul (alum 2024) on double bass performed onstage alongside ACO musicians and ACO Emerging Artist Program alumni in their opening tour of the year, a blockbuster program of Brahms’ Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony directed by ACO Artistic Director Richard Tognetti.
Commencing their 50th Anniversary Celebration year, this tour honoured ACO’s rich history, and performers also included past participants of the ACO Emerging Artist program, itself marking its 20th year in 2025.
ANAM’s string musicians have benefited from this prestigious training opportunity for many years. Since the inception of the ACO EA Program in 2005, 83 string players or 70% of all ACO Emerging Artists have been ANAM alumni or current musicians. In many instances, ANAM musicians are completing their ACO performance tours and mentorship alongside their vigourous ANAM training, or in the year immediately following the completion of their training at ANAM.
The impact of the ACO Emerging Artist Program alongside ANAM’s training has been profound. Of the 83 musicians that are alumni of both institutions, a large majority have obtained positions in symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the world, including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Helsinki Philharmonic, Camerata Bern, Swedish Radio Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra (UK), Orchestre national de Cannes, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and New Zealand String Quartet. And closer to home, many alumni can be found in the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, West Australian and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, Australian String Quartet, Affinity Quartet, and even three of ACO’s current musicians are alumni of both their own Emerging Artist Program and ANAM’s Performance Program.
We look forward to the continued success of the ACO Emerging Artist program for the next 20 years, and wish our friends at the ACO a Happy 50th Birthday!
For information about ACO's Emerging Artist Program, visit https://www.aco.com.au/learning-and-engagement/talent-development-programs/emerging-artists-program
Words by Laura Panther, Senior Alumni Coordinator
Photo credit: Pia Johnson