Top concertmaster calls it quits
mainFor almost 30 years, Dene Olding has occupied the front seat of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australia’s premier ensemble.
That makes him the country’s foremost violinist, and certainly its busiest. Dene is also leader of the widely-toured Goldner String Quartet, and of the Australia Ensemble, as well as an allround nice guy.
Now, at 59, Dene has decided to give up his seat in the Sydney Symphony next month to spend more time with family and private pursuits.
‘I’ve been one of the busiest musicians in Australia for the last 30 or 40 years, and hopefully that will continue as much as I would like it to. But it’s also important I have time for myself and for my family,’ he says.
Sydney will be looking for a very big character to fill his vacant space.
Best wishes to Dene Olding for this new chapter and many many thanks for his decades of music making and leadership at Sydney Symphony.
I believe his parents, Max and Pam, are still performing.
Will be interesting to see who fills that seat. Australia punches well above it’s weight in terms of producing first class string players.
‘Foremost’
‘Busiest’
Richard Tognetti?
They have Andrew Haveron as co-leader with Dene so they are already very well provided for.
Mike