Fiona Qiu completed a Bachelor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) under the tutelage of Michele Walsh. She was first prize-winner of the Ena Williams Award, Postgraduate Prize, Owen Fletcher Prize, Barbara Hebden Bursary, Matilda Jane Aplin Prize, Vada Jefferies Prize, Basil Jones Sonata Prize, Nora Baird Bursary, German Violin Travel Bursary and the Griffith Award for Academic Excellence. Fiona had also performed in the 2018 Musica Viva masterclass series with world-renowned violinist Ray Chen.
As a soloist, Fiona was featured on 4MBS Classic FM as the winner of the QCGU Brisbane Clubs Award and the Club’s Audience Choice Award. She was a soloist with the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and the Kelvin Grove Orchestra.
As an orchestral musician, Fiona was Concertmaster of the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra for Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, where she enjoyed tackling one of the most challenging concertmaster solos in the orchestral repertoire. Fiona was twice the Concertmaster of the Australian Youth Orchestra’s (AYO) National Music Camp, and attended the 2019 AYO International Tour and Chamber Players programs.
Fiona is a founding member of the Artamidae String Quartet, which won the 4MBS Chamber Music Prize. As an avid chamber musician, she has participated in chamber masterclasses with the Emmerson, Australian, Borodin, Dover, New Zealand and Goldner String Quartets. In 2021, the Quartet was invited by Baillieu Myer to perform at an art gallery owned by the Myer family. While studying at the Queensland Conservatorium, Fiona has performed with ensemble-in-residence, Ensemble Q, working with a host of international visiting artists and conductors.
Fiona loves exploring other genres of music with performances alongside singer and songwriter Katie Noonan, Damien Leith and Grammy Award-winning Michael Bublé.
Fiona curates a social media brand surrounding her violin practice and behind-the-scenes videos. You can join her 10k followers using the handle @sleeplessviolin (Instagram and TikTok).
While training at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), Fiona was previously mentored by Dr. Robin Wilson and Zoe Black, and continues her studies with Sophie Rowell in 2023.
FROM: Brisbane, QLD. Lands of the Jagera/Turrbal peoples.
Fiona’s training at ANAM is supported by ANAM Syndicate donors Michael Schwarz and David Clouston, Kathy Laster, Anne Frankenberg and Adrian McEniery, Simone and Richard Graham, Barry and Joan Miskin, Min Jiang
Photo credit: Pia Johnson.