James Steendam

Violin 2, Carlysle String Quartet.

James Steendam began violin studies at the age of eight. He gained entry into the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, then later into Haileybury College on a full music scholarship. He was a member of the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, performing in various venues around Melbourne such as the Melbourne Town Hall and the Iwaki Auditorium.

His tertiary studies were completed at the University of Melbourne, where he obtained a Bachelor of Music (Performance) with honours. His teachers included William Hennessy, Wilma Smith (Co-Concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony) and Mark Mogilevsky. Whilst at university, James performed as a soloist and principal player with the Melbourne University Faculty Orchestra and the Melbourne University Chamber Orchestra.

James's achievements include recording solo with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, winning the 2000 Melbourne Symphony's Young Artist Award, touring locally and nationally with the Tailem Quartet, and touring nationally and internationally with the Australian Youth Orchestra. He has performed solo or with an orchestra in such venues as Hamer Hall Melbourne, the Sydney Opera House, the Beijing Concert Hall, the Shanghai Performing Arts Centre, the Royal Concert-gebouw in Amsterdam and the Royal Albert Hall in London for the BBC Proms.