Margaret Blades
Acting Co-Artistic Director | violin

Violinist Margaret Blades has performed as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader nationally and internationally throughout her distinguished career. As a soloist, she has performed on several occasions with the Adelaide, WA and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, the Auckland Philharmonia, Fremantle Chamber Orchestra and Adelaide Chamber Orchestra. She has premiered new works for solo violin and orchestra by esteemed Australian composers Ross Edwards, Richard Mills and James Ledger, and has appeared alongside superstar Nigel Kennedy in Vivaldi Concerto for 2 violins. Highlights of her career include playing Concertmaster for the Australian premiere of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, conducted by Sir Jeffrey Tate, and performing with orchestras including the Australian Chamber Orchestrra, Sydney Symphony and Australian World Orchestra in some of the worlds most prestigious concert halls including Musikverein (Vienna) , Concertgebouw (Amsterdam)  Wigmore Hall and Royal Albert Hall (London). She has held the Associate Concertmaster position with both the Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras.

Since 2017 Margaret has been Guest Leader of the Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra, and recently performed with QSO in Wagner’s Ring Cycle for Opera Australia. Margaret has taught violin at the University of WA, has been on the faculty of Elder Conservatorium (Adelaide), the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and the WAAPA. She has tutored and directed at Australian Youth Orchestra programmes, and has built up a strong violin pedagogy practice in her private studio.

She has broadcast many recitals for ABC Classic FM, and played in chamber music recitals at the Adelaide and Perth International Arts Festivals.