Sharon Draper

Cellist, Carlysle String Quartet.

Sharon Draper biographical imageSharon began the cello at age nine, and was awarded a full Music Scholarship at Korowa Anglican Girls' School upon entering senior school. At this time she began studies with Philip Green, and at age 16 she joined the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, of which she was Principal Cello at age 18. Sharon took further musical studies at Melbourne University under the guidance of David Berlin (Principal Cellist of the Melbourne Symphony) and completed her Bachelor of Music Degree with Honours in Performance in 2005. She was a recipient of the Faculty Entrance Exhibition and the Lady Turner Prize from Melbourne University. During here studies here she was a member, leader, and soloist of the Faculty Orchestra and the Melbourne University Chamber Orchestra, the latter touring the east coast of Australia in 2003.

In 2001, Sharon was selected for the Advanced Chamber Music Program at the Australian Youth Orchestra's National Music Camp in 2000, working closely with renowned Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe. This workshop culminated in the performance of one of Sculthorpe's String Quartets at the National Art Gallery in Canberra. The following year in the same program Sharon performed Brahms' Clarinet Trio, also in the National Art Gallery. Sharon has been Associate Principal of the Australian Youth Orchestra and a member of Camerata Australia, touring the East Coast of Australia.

Sharon has been a casual member of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra since 2002, and toured with them to St Petersburg, Russia in 2004. She has also worked with Australia Pro Arte, The Academy of Melbourne, Chamber Made Opera, The Southern Cross Players, and Orchestra Victoria. Most recently, Sharon spent the greater part of 2006 in Europe, travelling to Croatia, Italy and Austria to study privately with renowned pedagogue Valter Despalj and the cellist Howard Penny, Associate Principal of the European Chamber Orchestra.