22 Jun 2026
Passing Notes: An AYO Podcast | Sophie Rowell
In the second episode of Passing Notes, we sit down with Australian violinist Sophie Rowell. Currently Artistic Director of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Sophie has firmly carved her legacy as one of Australia’s foremost artistic leaders, having previously held positions in the Australian String Quartet and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as Concertmaster.
The episode explores Sophie’s extraordinary journey across her career as a renowned chamber musician, concertmaster, and now artistic director, how professional life in Australia has compared to her experiences working overseas, and the ways her career has shaped her passion for teaching.
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Created by harpist-composer and 2026 AYO Media & Communication Fellow, Passing Notes is a podcast which aims to demystify, debunk and explore the diversity of a career in classical music performance.
As young performers in Australia, there can often be the idea of a ‘right way’ to go about pursing a successful career in classical performance—a formula or ‘golden path’ which young musicians might feel pressure to conform to. Throughout this miniseries, we learn how in reality, no two pathways look the same. By entering the worlds of some of Australia’s leading performers and artistic thinkers, we hear about what their journey has looked like navigating a career in classical performance.
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Music included in this episode:
“Assez vif, très rythmé” No. 2 from String Quartet in F Major, M.35 by Maurice Ravel (1903). Australian String Quartet (ASQ: Sophie Rowell, violin; Anne Horton, violin; Sally Boud, viola; Rachel Johnston, cello), (2012).
“Andantino, doucement expressif” No. 3 from String Quartet in G Minor, Op.10, L.85 by Claude Debussy (1893). Australian String Quartet (ASQ: Sophie Rowell, violin; Anne Horton, violin; Sally Boud, viola; Rachel Johnston, cello), (2012).
