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Our 25 Year History
1995 – 2020
Originally named Queensland Wind Soloists and later presented as Winds of the Southern Cross, Australia's Southern Cross Soloists formed in 1995 when four of the finest wind players from the Queensland Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras merged with with soprano and piano, forming a new, eclectic chamber ensemble.
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Explore our unique 25 year history, discover archival concert programs and photos from the ensemble's early years, and follow our rich musical journey spanning a quarter of a century.
Story >
Player Timeline >
Bangalow Festival >
Our Loyal Audience >
Concert Archive >
Guest Artists >
Commissioned Works >
Story
Originally named Queensland Wind Soloists and later identified as Winds of the Southern Cross II, Australia's Southern Cross Soloists formed in 1995 when four of the finest wind players from the Queensland Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras merged with with soprano and piano, forming a new, eclectic chamber ensemble.
​
Explore our unique 25 year history, discover archival concert programs and photos from the ensemble's early years, and follow our rich musical journey spanning a quarter of a century.
Originally named Queensland Wind Soloists and later identified as Winds of the Southern Cross II, Australia's Southern Cross Soloists formed in 1995 when four of the finest wind players from the Queensland Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras merged with with soprano and piano, forming a new, eclectic chamber ensemble.
​
Explore our unique 25 year history, discover archival concert programs and photos from the ensemble's early years, and follow our rich musical journey spanning a quarter of a century.
1995 – 1999
Paul Dean,
Artistic Director
1995 – 2010
Tania Frazer,
Artistic Director
2011 – present
Player Timeline
Bassoon
French Horn
Clarinet
Oboe
Soprano
Piano
1995
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2001
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+ Margaret Schindler, soprano
+ Paul Dean, clarinet
+ artistic director
+ Leesa Dean, bassoon
+ Kevin Power, piano
+ Peter Luff, french horn
+ Tania Frazer, oboe
+ Sarah Meagher, oboe
+ Founding Members
2010
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2011
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+ Violin
+ Cello
+ Patrick Murphy, cello
+ Alan Smith, violin
2013
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2014
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2015
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+ Flute
+ Horn
+ Emma Sholl, flute
+ Alex Raineri, piano
+ Ashley Smith, clarinet
+ Ysolt Clark, french horn
2017
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2018
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2019
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2020
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+ Lina Andanovska, flute
+ Alex Miller, french horn
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+ Blair Harris, cello
+ Jonathan Henderson, flute
+ Meta Weiss, cello
+ James Wannan, viola
+ Viola
Clarinet
Oboe
Piano
Flute
Violin
Cello
French Horn
Viola
Guest Artists
The Southern Cross Soloists have been privelidged to collaborate with a distinguished line-up of guest soloists and associate artists.
Featured Guest Soloists
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Miroslav Petkov, trumpet
Li-Wei Qin, cello
George Gao, erhu
Kristian Chong, piano
Joran Schulte, actor
Chris Williams, didgeridoo
Lucas Burns, presenter
Amalia Hall, violin
Karin Schaupp, guitar
NZ Chamber Soloists, piano trio
Phillip Sametz, presenter
Orava Quartet, string quartet
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Adam Mikulicz, bassoon
Xenia Puskarz Thomas, mezzo-soprano
David Requiro, cello
Teddy Tahu Rhodes, bass baritone
Alexandra Flood, soprano
Sarah-Grace Williams, conductor
Rebecca Hall, dancer
Riley Baldwin, dancer
Susan Collins, violin
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Eddie Ayres, presenter
Damien Beaumont, presenter
Sara Macliver, soprano
William Barton, didgeridoo/voice
Helen Morse, actor
Pil Kyun Paul Kim, violin
Ben Jacks, horn
Kristian Winther, violin
Ioana Tache, violin
Jack Liebeck, violin
Ilya Konovalov, violin
James Crabb, accordion
Slava Grigoryan, guitar
Piers Lane, piano
Marshall McGuire, harp
Jayson Gillham, piano
Daniel De Borah, piano
Alexander Lewis, tenor
Rainer Hersch, conductor
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Southern Cross Soloists Guest Artists
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Andrew Seymour, clarinet
Alice Gott, cello
Victoria Sayles, violin
Douglas Rutherford, bass
Richard Fomison, trumpet
Andrew Fong, clarinet
Katherine Philp, cello
Gregory Daniel, viola
Chloe Ann Williamson, bass
Angus Wilson, percussion
Zoe Friesberg, violin
Rollin Zhao, violin
Martin Alexander, viola
Robert Manley, cello
Matthew Kneale, bassoon
Tetsuya Lawson, trumpet
Rebecca Lloyd-Jones, percussion
Susan Collins, violin
Thomas Marlin, cello
Anne Horton, violin
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Nicole Greentree, viola
Monika Koerner, flute
Christopher Haycroft, bassoon
Alexina Hawkins, violin
Jane Rosenson, harp
Daniel Kowalik, violin
Catherine Gregory, flute
Lyndon Watts, bassoon
Lachlan O’Donnell, violin
Tim Byrne, cello
Commissioned Works
Southern Cross Soloists have earned a long-standing reputation as advocates for Australian new music. We have a proud 25-year history of commissioning Australian
composers and prioritise to include these works in our annual programming.
2019
Lyle Chan – Carnival of the Chinese Animals
World Premiere in ‘Lunar New Year: Memories from Childhood’
QPAC Concert Hall, 17/02/19 and Melbourne Recital Centre, 19/02/19
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John Rotar – Ginan: Songs of Knowledge
World Premiere (featuring Chris Williams, didgeridoo soloist) in ‘Maps and Journeys’
QPAC Concert Hall, 21/07/19
Gerard Brophy – between two silences
World Premiere in ‘Lyrical Reflections’
QPAC Concert Hall, 03/11/19
2018
Julian Day – Resound: Above and Beyond
World Premiere in ‘Reimaginations’
QPAC Concert Hall, 25/02/18
Matthew Hindson – Homage to Bernstein
World Premiere (featuring Miroslav Petkov, trumpet soloist) in ‘Star of the Concertgebouw’
QPAC Concert Hall, 22/07/18
Bryony Marks – Schism
World Premiere in ‘The Virtuosos’
QPAC Concert Hall, 28/10/18
2017
Ashley Smith – Angels and Demons
World Premiere in ‘Angels and Demons’
QPAC Concert Hall, 05/03/17
John Rotar – The Wolf of Zhongshan
World Premiere in ‘One Thousand and One Nights’
QPAC Concert Hall, 18/06/17
Michael Bakrnchev – Klezmer Dances
World Premiere in ‘One Thousand and One Nights’
QPAC Concert Hall, 18/06/17
2016
William Barton – Calling of the Earth
World Premiere (featuring William Barton, didgeridoo/voice soloist) in ‘Visions of Earth'
QPAC Concert Hall, 19/06/16
John Rotar – The Tryst
World Premiere in ‘Forbidden Love’
QPAC Concert Hall, 20/03/16
2015
Paul Stanhope – I Rose Up
World Premiere in ‘Bella Espana’
QPAC Concert Hall, 01/03/15
Joseph Twist – Great Minds
World Premiere (featuring Teddy Tahu Rhodes, bass baritone soloist) in ‘Great Legends’
QPAC Concert Hall, 22/11/15