Ethan is a passionate musician from Brisbane who studied under Eve Newsome at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University.

During his Bachelor of Music, Ethan received a comprehensive education that included a wide range of chamber music experiences and orchestral concerts, as well as concerto performances with the Queensland Youth Symphony and the Conservatorium’s Symphony Orchestra. He also had the opportunity to perform in masterclasses with Maurice Bourgue, Diana Doherty, Jacques Tys, Jean-Louis Capezzali, Nick Deutsch, Rossana Calvi, Huw Jones, and Emma Black. Ethan was the recipient of the Rudolph Pekarek Oboe Prize and was awarded the Griffith Award for Academic Excellence for three consecutive years.

Of the various modes of performance, Ethan most enjoys orchestral playing due to the immense energy that comes with being part of a larger ensemble. He has a fondness for music from the 19th and 20th centuries, which offer a balance of complexity and accessibility—music that engages the mind whilst also stirring the heart.

Outside of music, Ethan is a scientist with an interest in microbiology and human health, and he recently completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Queensland. After a four-year hiatus from the oboe, Ethan has appreciated returning to the instrument and embracing the challenges it presents, which he believes are part of what makes it special.

Ethan is in first year at ANAM in 2025, studying with Jeffrey Crellin.

Ethan is supported by ANAM Syndicate donor Kerry Landman.

Olivia is currently in her second year of training at ANAM under the tutelage of Adam Chalabi.

Olivia completed a Bachelor of Music Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium where she studied with Janet Davies and was awarded the Dean’s List of Excellence in Academic Performance.

Olivia was born into a musical family and started learning violin with her father George Kowalik from the age of four. She always knew that music was the path that she wanted to take. Growing up in such a musical household, she aims to follow the footsteps of her older brothers who are in the Orava Quartet, one of Australia’s leading ensembles.

Olivia’s passion has grown, especially in orchestral playing. She was in the Sydney Youth Orchestra from 2018-2022 and was concertmaster in their flagship orchestra in 2022. She has held principal and associate positions in the Australian Youth Orchestra, Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, and L’Estro Armonico String Orchestra, and has recently played with Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra and Ensemble Apex.

Olivia has performed as a guest soloist with Wollongong Steel City Strings after winning the Wollongong Eisteddfod concerto category. She was also scheduled to play as a guest soloist with Penrith Symphony Orchestra after winning the Sydney Conservatorium High School concerto competition in 2019, which unfortunately could not go ahead due to Covid-19.

Olivia’s recent interests in repertoire have included early 20th century music ranging from French impressionism to mid-century Russian music. She also enjoys listening to and playing works by Polish composers, such as Szymanowski and Lutosławski, as a tribute to her Polish heritage. Other than playing the violin, Olivia loves to paint and to draw.

Olivia is supported by ANAM Syndicate donors Jeanne McMullin, Jeanne and Frank Pleavin, Rosalind Price, Geoff and Margaret Stewart.

Olivia plays a Pressenda 1849 Violin 'Richard Pollett' on loan to ANAM from Janet Holmes à Court AC.

Theonie Wang is known for her musical sensitivity and flare. Currently in her second year at ANAM studying with Adam Chalabi, Theonie is a recent graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium under Associate Professor Michele Walsh.

While she began her violin playing at three years old learning from her aunty, Fong Fong Watson, Theonie’s recent highlights include performing in masterclasses for Maxim Vengerov and former Concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic, Guy Braunstien, performing alongside the Australian String Quartet, and being a featured young artist with ‘Ensemble Q’. Theonie was the recipient of the ADFAS Yarra Prize for the Most Outstanding Program in an ANAM Recital in 2024.

Theonie is a long-standing member of the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) and was appointed Concertmaster for both the autumn and winter seasons of 2024. She was also accepted for both Adelaide and Sydney Symphony Fellowships.

In 2020, Theonie was awarded first prize for the Young Instrumentalists Prize, allowing her to perform as a soloist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra at the age of 16. During her degree at the Queensland Conservatorium, Theonie was awarded first prize for the coveted Brisbane Club Award, both Judges and Audience Prize, and the Ena Williams Award for Post Graduate Study. She had the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra in 2023 and was also invited to perform as a soloist with the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra at the Bendigo Chamber Music Festival in 2025.

In her spare time, Theonie enjoys a competitive and fun card game or board game and playing soccer out in the Carlton Gardens with her friends.

Theonie is supported by ANAM Syndicate donors Maureen and Alan Cant, Dorothy and Hans Carlborg, Lyndsey Hawkins, Michael Kent and Cristina Cappa Legora, Michael Schwartz and David Clouston.