Wollongong String Quartet
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Southern Strings is a Wollongong based string quartet also offering the services of a trio. Southern Strings can provide music and entertainment to the Wollongong and Illawarra regions, Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven, south Sydney and Macarthur, Campbelltown and Camden areas. The musicians involved with Southern Strings bring together an extensive professional portfolio that is evident in both the selection of music and the performance. Southern Strings Quartet and Trio has been together for nearly 6 years after a chance meeting at the inaugural Wollongong Symphony Orchestra Concert in 2004 where we were all invited players. Since this time, we have extended our ability as a small chamber ensemble and are renowned in the Illawarra region as ‘the group to have’ for any occasion. We have performed at more 400 functions including more than 300 weddings, several engagements, birthday parties, anniversaries, corporate functions, fund raisers and store openings since establishing ourselves in 2004 and pride ourselves with the phrase “music for any occasion”.
John Lappan – 1st Violinist John is “the commander”, the one that steers the ship and always keeps us “in time”. John has been playing the violin for more than 30 years and has achieved many accolades in that time. John has a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Music Performance) from the University of Wollongong and currently works as a high school music teacher. John has played in many orchestras and chamber groups (small orchestral group e.g. string quartet) both here and overseas. He is the “leader” of the group and brings more than 15 years of chamber music experience to Southern Strings.
Yvette Barrs – 2nd Violinist Yvette is “the organiser”, ensuring the music is there, stands are in the car and we all arrive on time. Yvette has been playing the violin “as long as she can remember”. In that time Yvette has achieved her Associate Diploma in Music Performance and played in many orchestras and chamber ensembles. Yvette has performed as a soloist during several overseas tours with orchestras from country NSW and Wollongong. Yvette has been a member of a chamber orchestra for the past 12 years and an orchestral member for the majority of her musical career.
Jessica Webster – Violist Jess is “our resident braniac”. Jess is currently studying medicine at the University of Wollongong – don’t hold that against her, she is also a very good violist! Jess has extensive orchestral experience and has developed her chamber music skills in the 5 years she has been playing with Southern Strings.
Ilir Merxhushi – Cellist Ilir is our “sit down comedian”. Ilir is from Albania and we still have difficulty understanding what he means however the translation is usually enough to keep us entertained for at least the next set of pieces! Ilir is an astounding musician and well out of any of our leagues however he graciously swears that he will not play with anyone else because they do not understand the music as we do. Ilir was the principal cellist for the royal Albanian Opera Orchestra and travelled extensively throughout Europe with the orchestra until the borders of Albania were closed. At this time, he made the move to Australia with his family and thankfully (for us) chose Wollongong to be his home!
All in all we are four musicians that are passionate about creating the sound that you anticipate for your special day. We rehearse once a month to continually add new material to our repertoire list. If we don’t have the particular piece that you have been envisaging, all we ask is that you purchase the music written for string quartet and send it to us before our regular rehearsal evening and we will play it. Apart from the four musicians mentioned above, we do have a diverse range of “on call” musicians that occasionally are required to play with us due to other commitments. Rest assured if this were the case, the trio or quartet would be just as prepared and play just as well for your special occasion. Contact us now to find out how we can make your special event "more special"!
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