AMEB Master Class: Strings

Guided performances for AMEB strings learners.

This series of Master Classes at Melbourne Recital Centre will provide learners with the chance to work directly with AMEB examiners and improve their performances of popular syllabus repertoire. Go behind the scenes and watch these rising stars hone their musical skills.

This Master Class will feature Olivier Bonnici.

This event is supported by the Learning and Access Consortium. 

Artists

Olivier Bonnici
AMEB Learners (all Master Class participants have been pre-selected)

About the Artist

Olivier Bonnici was born in France to a family of painters and violinists. In line with his ancestor Pauline Vivaldi, he decided to devote his life to becoming a violinist at the age of 14.

He studied at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique of Lyon, France, before emigrating to the U.K. and becoming an Associate of the Royal College of Music, in Performing, London. Furthering his studies with Dame Kato Havas and Majek Rakowsky, Olivier continued to develop an interest in teaching violin and viola, something he had started when he was 15 in Nantes, France. He enjoyed an extensive performing career in the U.K. as a recitalist, soloist, and chamber musician, as well as leading the Bampton and Stowe Opera Orchestras as a freelance musician. He also performed with orchestra many of the concerti of the Repertoire.

After 18 years as Head of Strings at Headington School Oxford, he emigrated to Australia with his wife Rosalind Brockman and their three children in 2017. As well as establishing the chamber group Musicians of the Great Ocean Road in Torquay where he now lives, Olivier enjoys being a casual player with the MSO, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic, leading various regional orchestras. He also keeps a busy schedule as a recitalist and soloist.

After several years as Head of Strings at PLC Melbourne, he is now part- retired, still enjoying some teaching at PLC and The Geelong College, alongside being an AMEB examiner. Enabling aspiring violinists of all standards to express themselves through the instrument remains one of his greatest joys.