Dene Olding, trained at the Juilliard School in New York, winner of a Churchill Fellowship for advanced studies and one of Australia's best-known instrumentalists, has won many awards and was a Laureate of the Queen Elisabeth of Belgium International Violin Competition. He has had a distinguished career as a soloist in Australia, New Zealand and the USA, performing over forty concertos, including many world premieres. His recording of Ross Edwards' Maninyas was the winner of the 1994 ARIA award for best classical recording and the Cannes award. He joined the Australia Ensemble in 1982 and was also at that time leader of the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He is also first violinist of the Goldner String Quartet, Concertmaster of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and director of SSO's concert series at Angel Place. Dene is Artistic Advisor to the Michael Hill International Violin Competition and has served as a juror on other international competitions. He is also in demand as soloist and director with other Australian orchestras and combines a busy schedule of performing, touring and recording with his family life in Sydney. He plays a Joseph Guarnerius violin made in 1720.
