Matthew is a cellist who has worked throughout Australia and was Principal Cellist of the Queensland Philharmonic for many years. Orchestras are in the family – his father George was a violinist in the Queensland Symphony. Matthew still plays the cello but now he manages the operations of The Queensland Orchestra.
Why you love what you do: Music touches everybody – anybody can play or sing, so it’s a pleasure to be able to reach out to people through music.
What’s your favourite:
Word: “fantastic”.
Drink: gin and tonic.
Fruit: mandarin.
Place for a holiday: Paris.
Website: www.thequeenslandorchestra.com.au
Thing to eat for breakfast: avocado on sourdough.
Way to spend Sunday afternoon: barbeque with good friends.
View in Brisbane: the river from a CityCat.
What’s your middle name – does it have special significance? William – I have “Williams” going back on both sides of the family!
Do you still have anything from your childhood? And what does it mean to you? I love elephants. I have two carved elephants from my childhood – one from my mother and another given to me by a wonderful Danish lady who was like a grandmother to me.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be? On Mount Nelson overlooking Hobart.
What can’t you live without? A good book!
Is there anything else you want the world to know? Music gives us some of the greatest achievements of our civilization – all cultures and all civilisations. How fantastic that we can all be part of it, whether it’s kids having their first lessons at school, or an international orchestra like The Queensland Orchestra!
