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Jo St. LeonViolaJo grew up in Australia where she attended the Conservatorium High School for two years, studying the violin with John Gold. She then moved to Melbourne, where she studied with Christopher Martin and participated in a series of master classes with renowned violist William Primrose. She was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra for several years and was Principal Violinist with them on their American Tour in 1976. When she was seventeen she moved to Hobart for several months to study with Jan Sedivka and Keith Crellin before returning to Melbourne to take up a position with the Elizabethan Trust Orchestra. When she was 18 Jo went to London to study at the Royal College of Music with Frederick Riddle. She later studied privately with Stephen Shingles and participated in master classes with Bruno Guiana at Prussia Cove. Jo was a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra for thirteen years, and Principal Viola with English National Ballet for nine years. She also held principal positions with Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet and English Touring Opera. As a freelance player she worked extensively with the English Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. With K. Ballet she toured Japan playing Guest Principal Viola for the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Grand Symphony Tokyo, The Osaka Theatre Orchestra and the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Jo was a member of the Priory Trio for six years, played regularly with the Orchestra of St. John's Chamber Ensemble and premiered many works of contemporary British composers with Endymion Ensemble. She also appeared as as soloist in the UK, South America, Australia and China. Jo currently lives in Hobart, where she teaches at the Conservatorium of Music, is Head of Strings at St. Michael's Collegiate School and Viola tutor at the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute held annually in Hobart. She plays with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and has been guest Associate Principal with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Jo's great love is chamber music. She regularly appears with Virtuosi Tasmania, has a baroque duo with harpsichordist Victoria Burley, a piano quartet with colleagues from the Conservatorium of Music, and performs with soprano Jane Edwards. In 2009 she joined with Stuart Thompson to for the Elanée Ensemble. |
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