MSE Alumni

Melbourne String Ensemble Alumni

Since 1985, young string musicians have been influenced, inspired and nurtured by the Melbourne String Ensemble. Our alumni have gone on to make an enormous contribution to communities all over the world. Many have developed successful carers as musicians, conductors and composers. Others have pursued careers in Education, Law, Medicine and Science. Our alumni have gone on to achieve excellence as upstanding and contributing members of society. The Melbourne String Ensemble has provided a stimulating and culturally rich environment, instilling the discipline and habits of mind that have contributed to our students’ success.

Are you an alumni member who has lost touch? Please contact us to be added to our mailing list. We will send you information about upcoming alumni events, concerts and reunions.

The MSE is proud to celebrate the achievements of past members and gratefully acknowledges their contribution.

MSE past members that hold prominent music positions include:

Rohan De Korte – Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Eve Silver – West Australian Symphony Orchestra
Eleanor Cameron – The Pentalpha Ensemble
Claude Chew - Julliard School of Music
William Grigg – Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne, Germany
Christa Jardine - Bern Symphony Orchestra, Germany
Stefanie Farrands - Australian Chamber Orchestra
Rebecca Proietto - Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Donate Now

Alumni members can help contribute to providing excellence in music education for the next generation of string musicians. Donations, no matter how big or small, make such a difference. All donations are tax deductible and givers will be acknowledged in our concert programmes and on our website. Please visit our support us page to donate to MSE.

Past MSE members

Stefanie Farrands

Violist Stefanie Farrands is principal Viola of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Melinda Watzel

Melinda Watzel was born in Melbourne and began playing the violin when she was 8 years old.

William Grigg

Playing in the Melbourne String Ensemble under the direction of Fintan Murphy was my first serious orchestral experience

Eve Silver

Eve Silver has played with WASO since 2007.

Graeme Norris

Graeme Norris is Principal 1st Violin of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

Jennen Ngiau-Keng

Jennen has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra

Josephine Vains

Josephine is an Australian cellist, chamber musician and educator.

Rochelle Ughetti

Rochelle is a member of Trio Animundi and performs regularly with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Rochelle also works as a diagnostic and rehabilitation audiologist.

Chris Howlett

Chris Howlett leads the social enterprise the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, bringing decades of experience in performance, artistic planning, broadcasting and arts management to support the arts industry.

Dindin Jingyi Wang

Dindin studied in Melbourne for 6 years with Fintan Murphy and was a member of the Melbourne String Ensemble for four years. She is currently studying at Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.

Dandan Jingfei Wang

Dandan studied in Melbourne for 6 years with Fintan Murphy and was a member of the Melbourne String Ensemble for four years. She is currently studying at Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.

Jarrod Hepburn

I played regularly with Melbourne String Ensemble from 1995 until around 2003

MSE Auditions

MSE Auditions now open

More info

Melbourne String Ensemble acknowledges the Wurundjeri, Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation, upon whose Country we are based and recognises their continuing connections to community, culture and country. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.