Encore Strings performers hail from all over Australia. Find out more about just a few of our incredible performers, whose talents continue to delight audiences at every performance.
Andrew Quah - Composer/Conductor
Yon-ju Yoo - Violin
Naomi Barber
Naomi Barber is unique among string players as a violinist, violist and cellist - three instruments considered among the hardest to master.
Naomi completed an AMusA in Cello, and achieved honours in AMEB Seventh Grade Violin and Viola - all before completing high school. While studying at the Conservatorium High School, Naomi was principal cellist of the Sydney Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. Naomi holds a Bachelor of Music Studies from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, with a Performance major in Cello. Her teachers have included Georg Pedersen, Susan Blake and John Gould.
In addition to her roles at Encore Strings, Naomi continues to teach violin, viola and cello, and performs with the Maruki Community Orchestra in Canberra.
Mark Davies
One of Australia's most experienced harpists, Mark Davies brings over 20 years of playing and designing harps to ensure your event is extra special.
Mark is a talented multi-instrumentalist and designer of harps. An experienced tutor and performer, Mark boasts over 20 years of experience as a performer on the harp, as well as Flamenco Guitar. Despite this, Mark is perhaps better known as a fixture amongst Sydney's thriving Busking scene, where his delightful sounds bring joy to passers-by.
His professional recordings include the critically acclaimed CDs The Celtic Harp and A Busker's Alms, among others.
Encore Sydney is privileged to have Mark as our resident harpist in 2009.
Joanne Gad
Joanne Gad is an accomplished Sydney-based violinist and teacher. Recipient of the 2007 Sydney Eclectic Composers' Society Performer of the Year Award, Jo has quickly earnt an enviable reputation interpreting and creating new violin works.
Receiving her training from the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music, since 2005 Jo has premiered no less than ten new Australian works, and has been broadcast on radio stations including 2MBS FM-102.5. When she's not teaching, Jo regularly performs as part of Ensemble Gadfly.
Maiko Inoue
Maiko Inoue is an accomplished violinist and pianist, holding AMusA qualifications in Violin and Piano, and an LMusA in Violin.
Maiko completed her undergraduate studies at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2004, and went on to complete a postgraduate degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2005. During this period, she travelled to Germany and Italy with the Queensland Youth Symphony (QYS).
Maiko has performed with internationally acclaimed violinists including Oleh Khrysa, Rudolph Koelman and Jack Glatzer, and her teachers have included notable performers including Kerry Smith, John Willison, Goetz Richter and Wanda Wilkormirska.
Andrea Ng
Andrea has participated in the Asian Youth Orchestra, Pacific Music Festival and Sydney Sinfonia. She was principal violist of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra for two years and associate principal of Sydney Youth Orchestra in 2005, and is currently completing further study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Andrea began learning the violin at the age of 6. However, she switched to the viola at the age of 12 under the tuition scheme of the Singapore Youth Orchestra and was brought under the tutelage of Guan Qi, the associate principal of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Under his guidance, Andrea rose to become the viola principal of the Singapore Youth Orchestra at the age of 16, in the year 2002. She then led the viola section in numerous concerts and was invited to play at one of the President’s functions at the Istana in the same year.
In 2003, Andrea took her Grade 8 ABRSM viola exam and obtained a high distinction score of 141 out of 150 - the highest score for viola in that year. A year later, Andrea played with the Asian Youth Orchestra in their 2004 season. In 2006 Andrea commenced studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as a viola major, and began working with the Sydney Sinfonia.
Through 2008, Andrea was selected through competitive worldwide auditions to participate as a member of the Pacific Music Festival. There she worked with the world’s top musicians, including members of the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic and principal players of major orchestras in the USA and Japan. Her teachers include Jeremy Williams and Jane Hazelwood.
Meriel Owen
Meriel Owen enjoys a versatile musical life and is in demand as a pianist and harpist. A student of the renowned composer and pianist, Larry Sitsky, Meriel is a graduate of the Canberra School of Music. As a harpist she has worked with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra and Australia Ensemble.
She then resided in the United States from 1995 to 2006 and during this time was occupied with a variety of activities including attendance at the Aspen Music Festival and School as a student in the collaborative program in 1998, completing a Master of Arts in Theology at Catholic Theological Union (Chicago) in 1999, and playing countless weddings and liturgical events.
Meriel graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2002 with a Master of Music in collaborative piano studying with Rita Sloan. Subsequent recital opportunities have taken her to Washington D.C., Houston, Chicago and Italy. Meriel is currently a staff accompanist at the School of Music of the Australian National University.
Encore Canberra is privileged to have Meriel as our resident harpist in 2009.
Andrew Quah
Andrew Quah is an accomplished educator, performer and composer, creating new Australian music that honours the old and redefines the new. His musical training began at the age of five, studying piano and later violin and voice. In 2003, Andrew was a founding member of the Sydney Eclectic Composers' Society, serving as Publicity Officer, and later as Vice-President. With SECS, he worked to realise a number of significant initiatives, including an active concert series showcasing new Australian works, a net-label promoting Australian music to the world, and a HSC education program. During this time, Andrew pursued study in Composition and Conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
As a conductor, Andrew has been privileged to work with ensembles including the SBS Radio and Television Youth Choir "Singers 2000", the Girraween Singers and numerous other instrumental and vocal ensembles. Andrew is Head of Instrumental Services at the O-vation Group, and oversees O-vation programs including Encore Strings and My Wedding Music. In addition to his diverse roles at O-vation, Andrew currently tutors in Piano, Composition and Music Theory.
Encore Sydney is privileged to have Andrew as Resident Composer and Conductor in 2009.
Andrew conducts Encore ensembles larger than eight instruments.
