Artistic Director

The Australian violinist Madeleine Easton is internationally recognised for her versatility and expertise on stage. Throughout her career, a desire to combine period and modern playing has led to unique opportunities to work with a variety of ensembles worldwide. She performs internationally, appearing as soloist, concertmaster and director of some of the world’s most respected ensembles and orchestras.

Madeleine studied with Alice Waten and Chris Kimber at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where she graduated with first class honours. Alongside her degree, she studied baroque violin with Lucinda Moon. She was awarded scholarships and was successful in competitions winning the Sydney Conservatorium Concerto Prize with Bartok's 2nd violin concerto, and was a finalist in both the 1999 Richard Goldner Concerto Competition and the 1998 Gisbourne International Music Competition in New Zealand. In 2000 she was a recipient of a full scholarship to attend the Meadowmount Summer School in New York State winning the chamber music prize, and a year later won a place to study at postgraduate level at the Royal College of Music with Dr Felix Andrievsky where she graduated with distinction winning the String Prize for most outstanding performer.

Foremost, Madeleine is forging a career as a director and concertmaster. She has performed as both guest and permanent concertmaster of many leading orchestras worldwide. Engagements include the Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid, the Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra of Lisbon, The English Baroque Soloists, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, The Kings Consort, The Gabrieli Consort, the Musicians of the Globe, The Independent Opera Company, London Orchestra da Camera, Orchestra Nova, the Guildford Philharmonic, Bath Philharmonia, Southern Sinfonia, Florilegium, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Northern Ballet Orchestra of England. She was appointed concertmaster of The Hanover Band in 2006 and continues to perform with them as both leader, director and soloist. Madeleine also performs with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Academy of Ancient Music, and the Orchestra Revolutionaire et Romantique.

Her talent of combining both period and modern styles of violin playing has led her to form a special relationship with the Royal Academy of Music in London. She has directed the Bach Cantata Series since its inception in 2009, the Baroque Orchestra, the first year String Orchestra and the Modern Instrument Period Orchestra. Other educational opportunities have included teaching period style on modern instruments for the World Orchestra at the Schleswig Holstein Festival in Germany, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and Monash University in Melbourne.

Madeleine has performed on many award winning recordings including the Bach Cantata series with the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists, the recently released Bach B minor Mass recording with the same ensemble, Haydn's 'Creation', Mendelssohn's Elijah and Mozart's C Minor Mass with the Gabrieli Consort. She has released the complete piano trios of Alexis de Castillon with her piano trio 'Trio Castillon', on Peyrole Records. She has also recorded the Antoine Reicha Bassoon Quintet and variations with the all Australian ensemble, 'Island' on the ARS label.

Madeleine plays on a 1682 Giovanni Grancino violin and a 1704 Jo. Bapt. Rogeri baroque violin.