|
The Australian violinist and musical director, Madeleine Easton, studied with Alice Waten and Chris Kimber at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where she graduated with first class honours (1996-1999). 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 Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2, 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 participated in the Advanced Performance Program of the Australian National Academy of Music. 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 (2000-2002).
Madeleine Easton is an established star on the international stage known for her versatility and expertise in the world of violin playing. Throughout her career, a desire to combine period and modern playing has led to unique opportunities for playing with many wonderful and varied ensembles world wide. She performs at the highest level world wide, appearing as both soloist, concertmaster and director of some of the worlds most respected ensembles and orchestras.
Madeleine Easton has performed as both guest and permanent concertmaster of several leading orchestras in the UK and abroad. Engagements in this role include the Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid (since 2008) under the batons of Thomas Hengelbrock and Paul McCreesh, Gulbenkian Foundation Orchestra of Lisbon (since 2013), English Baroque Soloists (Director: John Eliot Gardiner), Australian Brandenburg Orchestra (since 2009), The King's Consort (Director: Robert King), Gabrieli Consort & Players (Director: Paul McCreesh), Musicians of the Globe, The Independent Opera Company, London Orchestra da Camera, Orchestra Nova, Guildford Philharmonic, Bath Philharmonia Orchestra (since 2010), Southern Sinfonia, Florilegium (Director: Ashley Solomon), Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (since 2013) and 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. She also has performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (since 2006), Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music, City of London Sinfonia (since 2006), and Orchestra Revolutionaire et Romantique.
Her special talent of combining both period and modern styles of violin playing has led Madeleine Easton to form a special relationship with the Royal Academy of Music in London where she has directed the Baroque Orchestra, the Bach Cantata Series, 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 Easton has performed on many award winning recordings including the Bach Cantata series with the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists, the recently released J.S. Bach's B minor Mass (BWV 232) recording with the same ensemble, Haydn's Creation, Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah and W.A. Mozart's C Minor Mass with the Gabrieli Consort & Players to name a few. She has released the complete piano trios of Alexis de Castillon with her piano trio Trio Castillon, available on Peyrole Records. She has also recorded the Antoine Reicha Bassoon Quintet and variations with the all Australian ensemble, ‘Island’ available on the ARS label.
Concerto performance now forms a large part of her life. Orchestras of which she has performed with include La Philharmonie de Toulouse, the New Queens Hall Orchestra, London Orchestra da Camera, Bath Philharmonic and Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. In addition, she was the concerto soloist for the prestigious London Conducting Workshops in 2012.
Madeleine Easton is the artistic director and founder (2016) of the new Australian Baroque orchestra ‘Bach Akademie Australia. She plays on a 1682 Giovanni Grancino violin and a 1704 Jo. Bapt. Rogeri baroque violin. |
