Thank you AUSTA WA for the invitation to adjudicate and lovely comments. I look forward to seeing you all soon.
Introducing another one of our fabulous AUSTA WA String Fesitval adjudicators...
Dr Joanna Drimatis!
Dr Joanna Drimatis is a highly-respected champion of Australian music and contemporary classical music – contributing comprehensively through her output as a conductor, performer, musical director, researcher and educator.
After initial studies in Music Education and Violin Performance, Joanna completed a Masters degree from the University of Texas at Austin (Violin / Orchestral Conducting). In 2009, Joanna graduated with a PhD in Musicology from the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Her thesis research focused on Symphony No. 1 by Australian composer Robert Hughes and was awarded the University of Adelaide’s inaugural Doctoral Research Medal. Her research has continued, focusing on the music of Australian composers Robert Hughes and Raymond Hanson, and has been given national attention through radio broadcasts on ABC Classic and in Peter McCallum’s book, “The Centenary of the Con”.
As Music Director of the Christchurch Youth Orchestra and Conductor for the Adelaide Youth Orchestra association, Joanna initiated numerous collaborations, commissions and premieres, with select performances broadcast on NZ Concert FM and ABC Classic. As a violinist/violist Joanna has played professionally as an orchestral musician both in Australia and overseas which include the Strawberry Creek Festival (USA), International Institute of Music (Germany) and she has been a selected participant in the conducting program at Aspen Music Festival (USA). Joanna has worked as a sessional academic at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and conducted orchestras such as the Australian Doctors’ Orchestra, NSW Doctors’ Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Mosman Symphony, Woollahra Philharmonic and the Orange Chamber Music Festival Ensemble.
In 2008 Joanna’s orchestra, the Adelaide Youth Sinfonia, was the feature of an ABC Classic FM documentary, ‘From Pen to Performance’, documenting the rehearsal preparation and performance of an Australia Council-funded new work by Australian composer, John Polglase. Joanna has also been guest conductor in New Zealand for the Christchurch Symphony, Nelson Symphony, University of Canterbury Chamber Orchestra and St Matthews Chamber Orchestra and in Australia for the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, Burnside Symphony Orchestra and SBS Youth Orchestra. In 2022, Joanna has enjoyed conducting productions of The Marriage of Figaro, the Australian premiere of ‘Emilie’ by Kaija Sariaaho and the world premiere of ‘Threading the Light’ by Felicity Wilcox for young Sydney-based opera company The Cooperative.
Joanna has also given presentations on string and orchestral pedagogy with emphasis on the use of Australian repertoire for training orchestras. This work culminated in an invitation for her to present a workshop on this topic at the 2019 Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, USA. After holding the position as Head of Strings at MLC School Sydney from 2016-2022, Joanna is now the newly appointed Music Education Specialist for the Australian Music Centre as well as Music Director / Chief Conductor of the Beecroft Orchestra. In 2020 Joanna was awarded an APRA/AMCOS Art Music Luminary award for her advocacy, programming and performance of Australian music.
You can register for the AUSTA String Festival here: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=1014580