Orpheus Music Society Blue Mountains Inc.

The Vibrant Sound of the Blue Mountains

The Orpheus Quartet

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The Orpheus Quartet is a highly regarded professional string quartet which performs regularly throughout the Mountains, in Sydney and in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven.

In the Blue Mountains, the Orpheus Quartet gives regular concerts in the "Pat Heffernan Hall" at Katoomba Public School. This hall is known for its fine accoustics and has facilities for the disabled

The Quartet is supported by the "Friends of Orpheus Strings" and other organisations.

The members are:

• Rotraud Schneider
  Violin, leader
  Born in Koblenz, Germany, Rotraud studied violin with Wolfgang Schneiderhahn at Lucerne Conservatorium, Switzerland, and with Prof. Gerhart Hetzel, concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Staatliche Musikhochschule in Munich. In 1973 she was awarded a Performer's and Teacher's Diploma, and Soloist Diploma in 1975 in Lucerne.

  Rotraud has given concerts in many countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Yugoslavia and England, making her London debut in 1977,where she made recordings for the BBC. She has also recorded for the Bavarian Radio (Munich) and Austrian Radio (Vienna).

  After three extensive tours throughout Australia, Rotraud decided to emigrate here in 1981. She has given concerts and master classes in all major Australian cities and has made many recordings for the ABC, 2MBS FM and "Australia Felix" in Zagreb, Croatia. She lectured at Wollongong Conservatorium from 1982 to 1991 and is currently teaching at the Penrith Conservatorium.
  Rotraud is also the leader of the Orpheus Strings Orchestra

• Anita Beuthien
  Violin
  German born, Anita grew up in Sydney and studied piano with Nancy Salas and violin with Geza Bachman and Christopher Kimber. She completed her studies at Sydney University with a Bachelor of Music in Performance.

  After teaching with the NSW Department of Education and Training, Anita ventured into freelance performance, playing with various orchestras, including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra.

  Anita was a founding member of the Macquarie Baroque Players, playing on period instruments (violin and harpsichord). She has always been a keen chamber musician.

• Jill Quin
  Viola
  Jill Quin studied Viola with Alex Todicescu in Sydney, while playing in the ABC National Training Orchestra. Later she completed a BA at Sydney University and traveled overseas where she gained a Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music in London. She also attended master classes and a chamber music course in Italy.

  On her return to Sydney she played with the Australian Opera Orchestra, and taught violin and viola for a number of years. Jill recently retrained as a librarian and enjoys playing chamber music for pleasure.

• Robyn Godfrey
  Cello
  Robyn studied at the NSW Conservatorium of Music in the DSCM course with the renowned Lois Simpson. She was a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra for a number of seasons, including their 1976 tour of the U.S.A. to celebrate that country's bicentenary.

  In 1976 Robyn became a founding member of the Palm Court Orchestra which was formed to both explore and perform high quality light music from the early 20th Century. As well as managing and performing with the Palm Court Orchestra, Robyn works as a free-lance musician, taking engagements with the Sydney Opera House Orchestra and other well known orchestras and ensembles.

  Robyn's teaching practices include Newtown High School of Performing Arts, Fort Street High School, MLC Burwood and Musicalis Australis.

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