String Orchestras

Six string orchestras cater to string players of all ages and abilities with an incredible team of conductors and tutors guiding you through the week.

Whether you’re new to playing or a seasoned performer, you will be amazed at what you can achieve in a week at Summer School.

Build confidence, meet new friends, improve your playing, be challenged, learn great repertoire and create memories you will cherish for life.

If you’re a beginner, you’ll make friends, have fun, and take your first steps on a lifetime’s journey of musical exploration.

Intermediate string musicians will spend the week exploring new approaches to rehearsal and performance, while more advanced players will expand their knowledge of repertoire and develop their skills in tone, technique, dynamics and expression.

Senior string musicians will delve into the iconic string repertoire and further their experience in great orchestral playing and technique.

INSTRUMENTS: Violin, Viola, Cello & Double Bass

Suitable for students of all abilities, beginner to advanced.

To be considered for this stream in the 2027 MYO Summer School, please apply for the STRING ORCHESTRAS stream in your application.

Roy Theaker
Equally at home in London’s West End, Carnegie Hall NY or the Sydney Opera House, Roy Theaker has shared centre stage with the likes of Robbie Williams, Hugh Jackman and …
Equally at home in London’s West End, Carnegie Hall NY or the Sydney Opera House, Roy Theaker has shared centre stage with the likes of Robbie Williams, Hugh Jackman and even The Three Tenors.
A former Concertmaster with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Roy is known for his musical diversity, engaging stage presence and blistering technical ability. Recent engagements include leading the orchestra of the official “Les Misérables” World Arena Concert Tour – Australia, Taiwan & Shanghai seasons – performing to over half a million people. He has also performed as a guest concertmaster with numerous orchestras including the Sydney Symph, WASO, TSO, Singapore Symph, Hong Kong Phil and the Swedish National Radio Orchestra.
Since 2022, Roy regularly headlines as a Guest Entertainer for multiple Cruise lines in his own Spectacular Violin Theatre Shows and has performed off the coast of over 30 countries.
Roy was a conductor on Walt Disney’s hit musical “The Lion King” in both the original West End production and later in Melbourne. Regular guest conductor invitations include the Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra and the RTE Concert Orchestra. For over a decade, he was Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Stonnington Symphony, performing with artists such as Archie Roach, Lior, Ella Hooper, Dave Grainy, Rebecca Barnard, and Vika & Linda Bull.
A graduate of the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Vienna Conservatoire and the Royal Academy, London, Roy was a violinist in the Academy of St.Martin–in-the-Fields, and in 2012 was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London.

Lisa Grosman
Lisa was a member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra for 15 years, performing across Europe, America, and Asia. She regularly collaborated with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the RTE …
Lisa was a member of the Irish Chamber Orchestra for 15 years, performing across Europe, America, and Asia. She regularly collaborated with the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, the RTE Concert Orchestra, and served as the solo violist for Crash Ensemble. Additionally, she directed the “Sing Out with Strings”, the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s education program, inspired by El Sistema, working with over 300 children from under-served communities.
Since returning to Australia, Lisa has held several prominent teaching roles. She has recently been appointed as a Lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and is also currently a sessional Lecturer in Viola at Melbourne Conservatorium, University of Melbourne and Head of Strings at Xavier College. She was formerly the Director of the Viola Programme at Monash University and has also taught at the University of Queensland, Melbourne Conservatorium Young Artists Academy, and the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. Lisa is an active performer, and has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, and the Opera Australia Orchestra.
Lisa has played with the Australian World Orchestra since 2011. She is in demand as a chamber musician, performing and giving masterclasses internationally at festivals in New Zealand, Ireland, and Italy. With the Fidelio Quartet, Lisa performed the entire Beethoven String Quartet Cycle at the Melbourne Recital Centre, as well as making numerous broadcasts on 3MBSFM.
Lisa has performed and given masterclasses at the Akaroa Festival (NZ), Ceol na Mara festival (Ireland), Monash Music Sessions (Prato, Italy), Mt Buller Festival, the Jakarta International Summer Music Festival, the Darwin Festival, and at numerous Suzuki festivals in NSW and Victoria.
Lisa began learning Suzuki Method violin at the age of five, and went on to be the Concertmaster of the Australian Youth Orchestra. She studied with Alice Waten at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Australian Institute of Music. After taking up the viola, Lisa was a student at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) before receiving a scholarship to study with Professor Bruno Giuranna at the University of Limerick, where she completed her Master of Arts in Classical String Performance. She continued her studies with Professor Giuranna for a further two years at the Walter Stauffer Institute, (Corso di Perfezionamente), in Cremona. She currently plays a viola by Giuseppe Vignali, supported by the E.V. Llewellyn Memorial Fund.

Naomi Durston
Naomi is a violinist, educator, ensemble director, and emerging composer whose diverse career reflects a deep commitment to music-making, creativity, and education. She completed a Master of Music (Performance) at …
Naomi is a violinist, educator, ensemble director, and emerging composer whose diverse career reflects a deep commitment to music-making, creativity, and education. She completed a Master of Music (Performance) at the University of Melbourne in 2002 and has performed extensively with Orchestra Victoria, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and numerous chamber ensembles and independent projects. She is also a member of the actively performing Merri Creek Quartet, bringing a collaborative and dynamic approach to chamber music alongside her broader professional practice.
Today, Naomi enjoys a multifaceted career that combines teaching, directing ensembles, performing, and ongoing creative development. She is the Ensembles Director and strings teacher at Collingwood College, director of two Melbourne String Ensemble groups: Prelude and Arietta, a Lead Teaching Artist with The Pizzicato Effect, and maintains a thriving private teaching studio. She also contributes to the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Foundations program and is currently studying composition at the University of Melbourne, continuing to expand her artistic practice. Naomi is passionate about creating engaging musical experiences and helping students develop confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong enjoyment of music.

Paul Zabrowarny
Paul Zabrowarny is recognised for his versatility as a cellist, educator, conductor and advocate for accessible music education programs. Following studies at the Australian National Academy of Music, he completed …
Paul Zabrowarny is recognised for his versatility as a cellist, educator, conductor and advocate for accessible music education programs. Following studies at the Australian National Academy of Music, he completed a Master of Arts in Music Performance at the Conservatoire de Lausanne in Switzerland, where he specialised in contemporary cello performance.
As an orchestral musician, Paul has worked regularly with Orchestra Victoria and the Australian Classical and Romantic Orchestra. He was an Emerging Artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and has continued to be involved with the outreach and education programs at the ACO. Paul has also appeared with chamber ensembles including Inventi Ensemble, Syzygy Ensemble, Quartz String Quartet, and the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra.
As a soloist and chamber musician, Paul has performed extensively throughout Australia and Europe. He is also an experienced musical theatre musician, having performed as a cellist in major Australian productions including Hamilton, Beauty and the Beast, and Hadestown.
Passionate about music education and community engagement, Paul has developed and delivered educational and outreach programs for diverse communities across Australia. He is currently Lead Cello Educator for the ACO Foundations program at Belle Vue Park Primary School in Melbourne and also conducts the senior string ensembles and Symphony Orchestra at Yarra Valley Grammar School.

Irene Doucas
Irene Doucas brings her deep love for music to Haileybury Rendall School in Darwin, where she serves as a violin and viola performing and pedagogy specialist on secondment from Haileybury …
Irene Doucas brings her deep love for music to Haileybury Rendall School in Darwin, where she serves as a violin and viola performing and pedagogy specialist on secondment from Haileybury Melbourne. With 30 years of rich teaching and performing experience, Irene delights in sharing high-level string skills and nurturing a lifelong love of musical excellence in both primary and secondary students.
Throughout her vibrant career in the Australian music industry, Irene has shared the stage with prestigious ensembles including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Pops Orchestra, the Melbourne Theatre Company, and the Melbourne Musicians, alongside a wealth of diverse freelance work.
Driven by a big heart for her community, Irene has proudly volunteered with the Syrian Refugees Association and generously lends her time to supporting Haileybury Rendall School’s annual Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp, which provides magical experiences and respite care for children living with disabilities. She is also deeply dedicated to working with Indigenous youth, using the joyful power of music-making to uplift, connect, and inspire.
Irene holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Melbourne and a postgraduate qualification in violin performance from the Victorian College of the Arts. Outside of her busy professional life, she is a proud mother and grandmother who finds true joy in mentoring the next generation, helping them grow into the absolute best they can.