In 2023, Rory joined Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra as an Artistic Associate. He is Co-Artistic Director of the Brisbane based chamber group: Ensemble Cherubim and regularly performs with Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Hailing from the Sunshine Coast, Rory picked to learn the cello in Grade 5 because his brother said “it sounded cool”. Less than 10 years later he decided to pursue a career in music, completing a Bachelor of Music (First Class Honours) in 2019 under the tutelage of Patrick Murphy and later from Hyung Suk-Bae. Whilst at university, Rory took part in internships with Southern Cross Soloist’s and Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and received Masterclasses from the Australian String Quartet, Tinalley String Quartet and Howard Penny. Rory was invited to participate in the Virtuoso e Belcanto festival in Lucca, Italy and enjoyed learning from esteemed Pedagogues such as Peter Bruns, Istvan Vardai and Xenia Jankovic.
Rory enjoys travelling and is always planning his next overseas trip (but mostly dreams about being back under the Tuscan sun with a glass of wine.)
Alison Smith O’Connell is a cellist, permaculture enthusiast and mother of 3 daughters.
Alison studied cello in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Germany, before moving to Kuala Lumpur to become a member of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. 8 years (and 2 babies) later, Alison returned to Brisbane, where she now performs regularly with Camerata, becoming an Artistic Associate in 2023.
In 2022, Alison completed the full Educators Program at the Permaculture Education Institute. Now she and her brother write silly songs together about backyard farming, bringing permaculture education to children through music. When not playing cello, or writing songs about butterflies and vegetables, Alison enjoys hanging out with her family and transforming her suburban backyard into an edible oasis.
Shannon has been a long-time member of Camerata. She also performs with other music ensembles and orchestras such as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Shannon studied overseas in Switzerland for three years and had the wonderful opportunity to perform in the Luzern Symphony Orchestra. She likes a diverse range of music and has played with ballet and musical companies, likes contemporary classical music, and in the car she listens to Triple J. Shannon also thoroughly enjoys teaching and is currently the Director of Instrumental Music at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School.
After completing his musical studies in Marseille and Paris, France, Nathan has enjoyed a diverse musical career. Nathan has worked in conjunction with a number of leading composers in Europe for the commissioning of new pieces, as well as working with early music ensembles specialising in the music of the Baroque era.
Katherine was born into a very musical family in the town of Murwillumbah in Northern NSW. After beginning cello studies at age 14 she moved to Brisbane to complete a Bachelor of Music, studying with Markus and Mei-Lee Stocker. Since then, she has developed an interesting and fulfilling freelance career playing variously in Camerata, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Kurilpa String Quartet, Musica Viva In Schools, playing as a soloist, playing as a guest in various bands, recording sessions, summer veranda jam sessions, appearing at folk and classical festivals around Australia, and most recently has been perfecting the art of playing Baa, Baa, Black Sheep on the guitar, accompanied by her two-year-old daughter on the descant recorder.
