Hobart & Southern Tasmania

Strings on Fire – is Tasmania’s leading and most versatile String Quartet! – Since forming in Hobart in 2001, the ensemble has established a reputation for excellence in presentation, performance and customer relations. The classically trained musicians of Strings on Fire have all played internationally and throughout Australia ““ but also share a passion to broaden the boundaries of standard string quartet repertoire; playing original modern arrangements of jazz and contemporary music as well as all the classical favourites. In addition to providing music for special occasions and private functions, Strings on Fire have accompanied international artists including Meow Meow, Il Divo, William Basinski, David Hobson and Colin Lane. They are in high demand playing at weddings, corporate functions and events, and in concert every year. Strings on Fire have performed at functions for HRH Prince Edward Earl of Essex, Oprah Winfrey, Crown Princess Mary, the Donald Bradman Oration dinner and World Buddhist Convention. The quartet were featured on the TV series “˜The Gourmet Farmer’, “˜Tourism Australia’ advertising campaign, ‘Australian of the Year Awards’ and have played at events from Dark MOFO concerts to a State Memorial Service and many high-profile weddings. STRING QUARTET PERSONNEL – and career highlights Chris Nicholas (violin) Honours Graduate, Sydney University Graduate Diploma Performance, Sydney Conservatorium Australian Youth Orchestra Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Chamber Players Virtuosi Tasmania Anita Schleebs (violin) Graduate, Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music Australian Youth Orchestra Tasmania’s Music Theatre orchestras Nara Dennis (viola/arranger) Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra (The Netherlands) Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Queensland Symphony Orchestra Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Virtuosi Tasmania Tony Morgan (cello) Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (London) Principal Cello, Sydney Symphony Orchestra Principal Cello, Australian Opera Orchestra Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Strings on Fire are also available as the Strings on Fire WOW Orchestra– for a fuller Orchestral sound and a broad range of genres.

Our string orchestra can feature 12 – 20 professional musicians with a richness and power to fill your venue and add style to your company event . A dynamic ensemble adept in many genres. Flexibility in repertoire from the great classics such as Mozart and Vivaldi to arrangements of pop, rock and jazz. Musicians from Strings on Fire have played with ensembles throughout Australia and internationally.

The Sullivan Quartet is comprised of graduates from the Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania. They have-  performed at premiere venues around Hobart, including MONA, University of Tasmania, the Grand Chancellor, Wrest Point Casino, Government House, and many others. Alethea Coombe, violin Alethea Coombe grew up in Canberra and studied with Barbara-Jane Gilby before moving to Brisbane to complete her Bachelor of Music (Honours) with Michele Walsh at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. She moved to Hobart to undertake her Masters with Dr Susan Collins at the University of Tasmania. Alethea has performed at soundSCAPE (Italy), Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival (Finland), the International Summer Course for New Music at Darmstadt (Germany) the Australian Festival of Chamber Music (Townsville) and The Unconformity (Tasmania), and is a casual violinist with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Josh Farner, violin Joshua Farner is from Hobart, Tasmania, and began playing the violin at the age of nine. Following completion of a Bachelor of Engineering with 1st class Honours, he was awarded a University of Tasmania String Scholarship and commenced a Bachelor of Music under the tutelage of Dr. Susan Collins. Josh has performed with the Tasmanian Discovery Orchestra and the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute (AISOI), and regularly performs as section leader and concertino player with the Hobart Chamber Orchestra. In 2018 Josh was awarded the D & MV McDonald Scholarship in Music from the University of Tasmania, allowing him to travel to London to study under renowned pedagogues Simon Fischer and David Takeno. He looks forward to sharing his experiences back in Hobart. Madeline Nichols, viola Madeline completed her Bachelor of Music Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts, Honours in Music Performance at The University of Melbourne, and Honours Elite in Music performance at the University of Tasmania, specialising on the viola. She has studied with Amanda Fairs, Fiona Sargeant, Trevor Jones, Simon Oswell, and Jo St Leon. During her tertiary music studies, Madeline held principal viola positions in the Melbourne Youth Orchestra, The University of Melbourne Orchestra, the University of Tasmania Conservatorium Orchestra and the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute Orchestra. She has also played with the Australian Youth Orchestra and performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra in collaborative youth music projects. Lachlan Johnson, cello Lachie is a Hobart-based cellist and teacher, performing regularly in a wide variety of local ensembles, including stints as principal cellist with the Hobart Chamber Orchestra, the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music Symphony Orchestra, and the Tasmanian Discovery Orchestra.-  He undertook a Bachelor of Music studying under Markus Stocker at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, and continued studies with Sue-Ellen Paulsen at UTas, where he received the university medal in 2016. Have a special request that’s not in our repertoire? Please ask us and we’ll see what we can do!