Melbourne String Ensemble
The Melbourne String Ensemble (MSE) is an orchestra consisting of secondary and tertiary students. A leading youth orchestra in Melbourne for over 25 years, the MSE focuses on developing the ensemble and musical leadership skills of its members. In 2011, the MSE expanded to incorporate a junior group (JMSE).
The MSE has an annual program typically consisting of a benchmark concert, Concerto concert, chamber music concert and a tour either interstate or overseas. The MSE also performs at charity and coroporate events throughout the year.
The MSE commenced early in 1985 as the Junior Strings of Melbourne. From those beginnings the orchestra has embarked on a journey which has taken it from Australia to Asia and Europe, from concerts at Melba Hall in Melbourne to music festivals in Sweden and Estonia, from charity functions to senior corporate events in Australia and overseas.
The orchestra has evolved under leading music directors to be one of Melbourne’s finest youth ensembles providing outstanding training and performance opportunities for more than 300 students who have passed through its ranks over the last quarter century.
Directors
- Fintan Murphy – senior lecturer and co-ordinator of strings at the Monash University School of Music, Chair of the AMEB Specialist Examining Panel for Strings, violin teacher at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School.
- Julie Hewison - Head of strings at Ivanhoe Girls Grammar School, AMEB examiner, AUSTAVIC committee member and violin teacher
- Mary Ryan – president
Notable alumni
- Jennen Ngiau Keng – Australian Chamber Orchestra (violinist)
A graduate of the Australian National Academy of Music, Jennen Ngiau-Keng has won over 100 awards and prizes in music competitions. He also remains the only violinist in Australia to have received a Master of Music Performance degree after just one year of University studies. Jennen Ngiau-Keng won the Geelong Advertiser Music Competition in 2009, the Kendall National Violin Competition in 2006, and the Gisborne International Music Competition in 2004 . He has performed over 30 concertos as soloist with many orchestras in Australia and around the world.With the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Jennen has toured the U.S and Australia extensively, and has also acted as Guest Concertmaster of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
Jennen Ngiau-Keng is a demonstrating technical violinist on the ‘Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB) Technical Syllabus and Key Techniques CD series. He performs with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Australian Philharmonic Orchestra, Raga Dolls Salon Orchestra and the Los Romanticos Mariachi Band.
- Josephine Vains - Firebird Trio
"I was a member of the Junior Strings of Melbourne, the founding ensemble of Brian Finlayson way back in 1985 – and it was where the seeds of my love of ensemble playing began, and brought about many fun years with tours to Europe, Japan and around Australia.This ensemble was unusual in its day and I believe helped foster the early careers of some impressive Australian musicians (many of the original members can be found in top local and international ensembles), and more importantly a genuine passion for music making and concertising. The impact of these times on my musical career was invaluable, and has led to me following a career heavily centred around chamber music (as a member of Trio 303 and Freshwater Trio to name two). I can still remember by heart a lot of the music we used to play – we rehearsed a lot! Many of the original group keep in contact, attend each others weddings/concerts/parties even now, 25 years later."
- Graeme Norris – Concertmaster Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
- Eve Silver – West Australian Symphony Orchestra
- Eleanor Cameron – The Pentalpha Ensemble
Tours
- 2000 - Asia
- 2003 - Germany
- 2004 - New Zealand
- 2005 - Germany
- 2006 - Darwin
- 2007 - Scandinavia
- 2010 - Spain and Portugal
- 2013 - Slovenia, Croatia and Italy
- 2015 - Germany