The Paul McDermott Scholarship
Each year, young Victorian violinists are invited to apply for the prestigious Paul McDermott Scholarship—but few know the remarkable story behind the man whose name it bears.

Established in 1980 by an anonymous local music lover and benefactor, the scholarship honours Paul McDermott, a beloved local violinist, conductor, and champion of music education. McDermott served as the chief conductor of the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra from 1960 to 1973 and was the founder and president of the Australian Musicians’ Guild. Under his leadership, the Guild flourished, presenting regular concerts and launching Music in the Round, a celebrated weekend-long festival held at historic venues such as Werribee Mansion and the Abbotsford Convent. This event became a highlight in Melbourne’s cultural calendar from 1972 until McDermott’s passing in 1985, and served as a unique platform for scholarship recipients to perform alongside leading Australian and international chamber musicians.

After McDermott’s death, and the eventual closure of the Guild in 1996, the scholarship was entrusted to AUSTA VIC, who proudly continue its legacy. Though Music in the Round ended, its spirit has been revived in recent years through projects by Jeff Crellin and Chris Howlett.

Today, the Paul McDermott Scholarship remains a significant accolade in the Victorian string community—a $1500 award that supports the further study of a promising young violinist under the age of 15. The recipient also receives the opportunity to perform at an AUSTA VIC event, adding a prestigious milestone to their musical journey and honouring the vision of a man who gave so much to Australian music.

This year we are delighted to welcome John as an adjudicator for the 2026 Paul McDermott Scholarship.John Noble, an accomplished violinist, visionary educator and founder of Itet, whose innovative mentorship programs are transforming access to high-level chamber music for young string players across regional and rural Victoria.

For more information, please contact: secretaryvic@austa.asn.au

To apply for audition, please follow this link: https://www.trybooking.com/DLEEO

Bibliography: Cooke, Max. The Australian Musicians’ Guild [online]. Australian Journal of Music Education, No. 9, Oct 1971: 47-48.

Student Workshop Term 4

Sunday 18th October 2026

1pm – 3pm Rehearsal

3:30pm Free Concert

A Masterclass led by:

Daniel Roehn

Date & Time: 18 October 2026, 1.00-4.30pm

Venue: Orana Steiner Overture Hall

Cost: Participating Student: $80.00

Audience

Adult – AUSTA Member: $25.00

Adult – Non Member: $30.00

Student: $15.00

Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/DPUAR

Contact: austaact@gmail.com

Daniel Roehn’s Bio

“X-Factor” headlined a review in Süddeutsche Zeitung, after a solo concert in Munich played by Daniel Röhn, while The Strad (London) stated “he is a sensational player”. Widely acclaimed as one of the outstanding violinists today, Daniel Röhn comes from a remarkable lineage of violinists: both his grandfather Erich Röhn and his father Andreas Röhn played an active part in shaping the unique German orchestral landscape as renowned concertmasters of the Berlin Philharmonic’s Furtwängler era, and the postwar Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

As soloist Röhn played with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Rotterdam, , Malmö Symphony Orchestra, the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Cape Town Philharmonic, Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the Balearic Islands, Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

As conductor he has collaborated with the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Deutsches Kammerorchester Berlin, Capella Istropolitana, Georgian Chamber Orchestra, Kiev Chamber Orchestra, and the Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra.

Although he has earned praise from critics and audiences worldwide for his evocation of the violin’s ‘golden age’ of by-gone times, Röhn is far from stuck in the past, but has further reinvented himself during the pandemic, drawing on the traditions of the old masters, while embracing the challenges and opportunities of the present. Finally he is living out his many talents on stage, and thus his new project “Daniel Röhn Alone – Tales of the Solo Violin” has established itself as a popular show, in which he embodies the roles of concert violinist, narrating entertainer (so far in five languages), and at times even pianist. The accompanying album to this project will be released soon.

He appeared at Carnegie Hall New York, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall and Southbank Center London, Vienna Konzerthaus, Megaron Athens, Konserthuset Stockholm, Bozart Brussels, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Town Hall Sydney, and at all major venues in his native Germany, with conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Gustavo Dudamel, Lorin Maazel, Michal Nesterowicz, Hannu Lintu, Markus Poschner, and Simone Young.

He repeatedly followed invitations to the Rheingau Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lucerne Festival, Montpellier Radio-France Festival, Deauville Festival. Chamber music partners include Augustin Hadelich, Julia Fischer, Vilde Frang, Nils Mönkemeyer, Antoin Tamestit, Gautier Capuçon, Julian Steckel, Daniel Blendulf, Alexander Chaushian, Kit Armstrong, Rohan de Silva, Bertrand Chamayou, Lisa Batiashvili, Milana Chernyavska, Paul Rivinius, Polina Leschenko, Simon Tedeschi, Jörg Widmann, Ivry Gitlis, Quatuor Ebène and the Belcea Quartet.

His award-winning discography includes not only standard repertoire, but projects such as “The Kreisler Story”, a  celebration of one of the violin’s most treasured virtuosos Fritz Kreisler, and “The Golden Violin – Music of the 20’s,” Röhn’s personal homage to the culturally unparalleled period between the two world wars, which premiered at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. His next album “Songs my mother taught me” has just been recorded.

After receiving early musical training from his father, Röhn studied under Prof. Ana Chumachenco at the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts.

Change is on the way for String Teachers and Students: HSC Performance preparation with a new syllabus

Change is on the Way for String Teachers and Students: HSC Performance preparation within a New Curriculum. From Term 1 2027, NSW schools begin teaching the new Music 1,2  syllabi for years 11 and 12. The first HSC examinations will come our way in 2028. Here, familiar ‘Concepts of Music’ give way to ‘Music Context and Music Language’, including prescribed focus areas and a compulsory composition component. Assessment, programming and repertoire selection are likely to shift. This workshop opens a dialogue on change, on what remains constant and what needs to be considered into the future so that what must be achieved can be achieved with success and benefit for all.

Join AUSTA NSW to help you prepare for the changes and success in dialogue with experts and colleagues

2:30pm: Understanding Change
A Forum led by Dr. Jim Coyle (Sydney University) and Ynping Mak (Newtown Performing Arts) to unpack changes to Music 1 and Music 2. What has stayed and how do we best plan the student’s path to the HSC? Panel discussion and open Q&A follows –  bring your questions!

3:45pm: Light refreshments and informal conversations.

4:15pm: Instrumental sessions

Join leading teachers for a workshop on practical skills, repertoire possibilities and developmental strategies that will enable you to succeed in this new context.

Violin: Caron Chan
Viola: Lisa Grosman
Cello: Simone Koolhaas
Double Bass: Alex Henery

Gain a clearer idea of the new HSC requirements,
Connect with a network of colleagues navigating change
Experience meaningful professional development and inspiration.

Event link: https://www.trybooking.com/DPWNQ

Cost: $30 for AUSTA members with the code AUSTAHSC2026, $60 for non-members