Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra is delighted to announce the 2026 Upbeat Artists: Eeden Annesley (Violin), Lydia Hwang (Violin), Laura Boon (Cello), and Oliver Murphy (Double Bass). Now in its ninth year, the Upbeat Program fosters emerging Queensland string players through a year of rehearsals, performances, and mentoring alongside Camerata’s Artistic Associates, providing invaluable industry experience and a pathway toward future professional opportunities.

Winner of the Junior Category of the Queensland International Chamber Music Competition, Eden Annesley is a violinist raised in Grafton, regional NSW. She studied under Associate Professor Michele Walsh at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, graduating with First Class Honours and the University Medal.

In 2025, she was a founding member of the Antipodes Quartet, working under the close mentorship of the New Zealand String Quartet. With the Antipodes Quartet, Eden undertook an extensive national tour across New Zealand and will appear at the Adam International Chamber Music Festival in 2026. Eden also played as a Guest Artist with the New Zealand String Quartet. Eden has performed as part of some of Australia’s best ensembles, notably the Australian World Orchestra’s AWO 6 project, Ensemble Q, Arcadia Winds, the Partridge Quartet, and
The Australian Youth Orchestra.

Alongside her artistic pursuits, she was also selected as one of Australia’s top undergraduate students for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade New Colombo Plan Scholarship, leading her to spend a year in Japan researching cultural influences in Tōru Takemitsu’s music. Her passion for music as a tool of cross-cultural exchange led her to co-found Duo Aki with saxophonist Lola Schuele, where she represented Australia at the Cultural Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo.

Lydia Hwang is a violinist in her third year at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, where she studies under Michele Walsh. She has performed with ensembles including the Queensland Youth Symphony and participated in several Australian Youth Orchestra programs.

Lydia has gained orchestral experience with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in its Oceans project, as well as with Ensemble Q and Opera Australia. A recent highlight was performing as a soloist with the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra as part of the concertos festival.

Chamber music is a central part of Lydia’s work. She has performed in a variety of ensemble settings, including a side-by-side program with members of the London Symphony Orchestra Wind Quintet, and more recently with the Australian String Quartet.

Outside of Camerata, Lydia continues to expand her experience across solo, chamber, and orchestral repertoire, with the aim of sharing music with audiences in Australia and internationally.

When she is not performing or rehearsing, Lydia enjoys recharging with a matcha – a simple routine that helps her stay energised during intensive practice and rehearsal periods.

Laura Boon is a student at the Queensland Conservatorium completing a Bachelor of Music (Honours) majoring in performance on Cello. Having previously studied under Gwyn Roberts, she now learns from Hungarian cellist György Deri and Hyung Suk Bae, Principal Cellist of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. In 2025, she served as Associate Principal Cellist of the Queensland Youth Symphony. Throughout her previous four years in the orchestra, Laura enjoyed collaborating with like-minded musicians in impassioned orchestral projects, with a standout of her time being the 2023 tour to Singapore, Austria, and Germany, where the orchestra was privileged to perform in renowned venue,s including the Musikverein in Vienna.

At the Queensland Conservatorium, Laura participates in additional orchestral projects as well as chamber music performances, exploring a broad range of chamber repertoire with her colleagues. She has gained valuable experience while performing with professional ensembles such as the Australian String Quartet, LA Philharmonic Wind Quintet, Ensemble Q, and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Outside of classical performance, Laura values using music to connect with the community through private teaching and supporting local events such as art exhibitions, church performances, and nursing home visits. She also has a love for musical theatre and enjoys working as a pit musician in a variety of musical theatre productions.

Looking ahead, Laura is excited to continue a diverse performance career exploring a range of musical genres as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral performer.

Oliver Murphy is a Brisbane-based multi-instrumentalist and composer recognised for his distinctive and creative approach to music. He is currently completing his first year of double bass studies at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, under Phoebe Russell.

Originally from Toowoomba, Oliver has performed with the Australian Youth Orchestra for several years and is looking forward to performances with them in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Darwin during 2026. He has performed with the Australian Doctor’s Orchestra, Queensland Pops Orchestra, North Queensland Chamber Orchestra and UQ Symphony Orchestra.

Oliver is a committed advocate for solo and chamber music, enjoying the intimate and collaborative nature of small-ensemble work. As well as bass, Oliver is a proficient violinist, violist, and cellist, and is a celebrated composer. Additionally, he has served as Music Director and Concertmaster, co-founded community concerts, and been commissioned to compose and perform for studio recordings. Oliver is experienced in Music Production and is the youngest person to win QCGU’s ScoreIT film scoring competition in 2023.

In 2018 – when online tutoring was considered ‘unconventional’ – Oliver began Skype Violin lessons with Rob Dowdell (Cairns), successfully achieving his Grade 8 with High Distinction in 2020. With a side quest on Viola in 2021, he completed his Grade 8 with High Distinction that same year. Although Oliver had remained predominantly self-taught on Bass, he began occasional school-based lessons with Dr. Bernardo Alviz mid 2023 – 2024.

Oliver hopes to have a multi-faceted career featuring solo, chamber and orchestral performance. His connection with Camerata began early, having attended his first concert at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba at age 10. Oliver is now thrilled to join Camerata onstage in 2026 as an Upbeat Artist.