Our Creative Team.
Founded in 2017 by clarinettist Justin Beere, the ensemble features the next generation of compelling music makers with a drive to present imaginative and enriching chamber music experiences.
Artistic Director / Clarinet
Justin Beere
Justin founded Melbourne Chamber Players in 2017 to bring together the next generation of passionate chamber musicians in pursuit of meaningful and captivating musical storytelling. Justin enjoys exploring our connection to the past and how it shapes the present, dedicated to providing a platform for lesser-known but powerful new voices and placing them alongside the much-loved music of the masters.
Programming / Pianist
Aidan Boase
The incredibly stalwart pianist and musical mind Aidan Boase joined the creative team officially in 2020 - right at the moment when the arts world came to a halt! Since then, Aidan has worked to pave a new way forward for the ensemble, dedicated to the creation of new work and exploring bold & engaging repertoire.
MUSICIANS.
Meet the
Aidan Boase
Melbourne-based pianist Aidan Boase, is in high demand as a collaborative artist. He currently holds an Associate Artist position at Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and has performed in festivals across Europe and in the US.He was a 2015 fellow at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and in 2016 was a prize winner in the Virtuoso & Bel Canto Chamber Music Competition in Lucca, Italy.
Lucy Warren
Lucy Warren has performed throughout Australia, Asia and Europe in demand as an accomplished freelance violinist. In 2018, Lucy joined Orchestra Victoria as a full-time Tutti Musician. Prior to this, Lucy performed regularly with the Opera Australia Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony where she was an Orchestral Fellow in 2012 and with whom she has toured internationally.
Anna Pokorny
Since 2012 Anna has had the pleasure of performing with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, ACO Collective and West Australian Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician she has appeared in concert series and festivals across Australia including the Perth International Arts Festival, Metropolis Music Festival and Bangalow Music Festival.
Carla Blackwood
Carla Blackwood enjoys a diverse career performing as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician in Australia and internationally. Carla performs regularly with the Australia Ensemble, renowned contemporary music ensemble ELISION, Quercus Trio, Lyrebird Brass, and is a regular guest principal horn with orchestras around Australia. Since 2018 Carla has been French Horn Lecturer at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne.
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Our Story
Lauded for its outstanding performance, Melbourne Chamber Players' shape-shifting instrumentation of winds, strings, and piano brings together some of Melbourne's most compelling music makers. Established in 2017 by clarinetist Justin Beere, the ensemble has quickly become one of the city’s foremost ensembles, captivating audiences across Melbourne and regional Victoria with imaginative and enriching chamber music performances.
“Every member of the group is a rock-steady technician, capable of great feats of individual virtuosity."
- The Age
Dedicated to performing cornerstones of the repertoire and rare gems by lesser-known luminaries the ensemble has featured in the Melbourne Recital Centre's Local Heroes series, Music Always initiative and Music Play Festival including performances for Geelong Chamber Music Society, the Yarra Ranges Culture Tracks, Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, and numerous live broadcasts for 3mbs Radio.
As avid supporters of new music, the ensemble is proud to have commissioned new works by Australian composers Paul Dean, Matt Laing, and Michael Grebla. Grebla’s Piano Trio was first performed in 2021 and Paul Dean’s Lockdown Miniatures No. 8 is available now as a digital EP on all streaming services. The ensemble is also proud to have given the premiere of Nigel Sabin's Clarinet Quintet in 2019. Now in its sixth year, Melbourne Chamber Players looks forward to sharing another wonderful season of inventive and engaging music. Don’t miss any of the action - stay connected with the latest updates by signing up to our newsletter.
Justin Beere
Justin is the Associate Principal Clarinet of Orchestra Victoria and the founding Artistic Director of the Melbourne Chamber Players. He has enjoyed a varied career, guesting regularly with leading Symphony Orchestras and chamber music festivals across Australia, New Zealand and Canada. He has performed in the Port Fairy Music Festival, Peninsula Summer Music Festival, Bendigo Festival, Melbourne Festival, Music by the Springs, the Banff Summer Music Festival (Canada) and the Mackay Chamber Music Festival.
Erica Kennedy
Erica’s versatility as a violinist sees her regularly transition between the roles of soloist, chamber musician and concertmaster. Over twelve years as founding first violinist with the Flinders Quartet she performed and recorded regularly throughout Australia and overseas including residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada and at the International Musicians’ Seminar in the UK, as well as tours to Sweden, Switzerland and Singapore.
Steph Dixon
Steph Dixon is an active orchestral and chamber musician. She strongly believes in the importance of sharing the wonders of music as a performer as well as an educator. Steph toured with acclaimed Finnish pianist Paavali Jumpanen during 2016, presenting a concert of chamber works. She also had the pleasure of curating and performing her own chamber music concert, Baroque Winds, as part of the Brisbane Baroque Festival’s 5x5x5 series.
Tim Murray
Timothy Murray is currently Principal Contrabassoon with Orchestra Victoria. He studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and participated in the Sydney Symphony Fellowship program in 2014 before joining Orchestra Victoria at the age of 22. He completed his Master’s degree at the Hochschule für Musik, in Hannover. Timothy has recently taught contrabassoon at the University of Melbourne and he has performed as a guest musician with most of Australia’s professional orchestras.
"More than mere local heroes. These musicians are world class."
The Age