Stefanie Farrands

Stefanie Farrands is the ACO's newest member, appointed as Principal Viola in 2020.

Prior to her appointment with the ACO, Farrands was Principal Viola with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra from 2015. She has performed extensively throughout Europe, America, Asia and Australia with orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Camerata Salzburg and has performed as Guest Principal Viola with the Strasbourg Philharmonic, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Australian World Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Farrands has won numerous awards and chamber music prizes including the Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition (as a member of the Hamer Quartet) and has been recipient of the Freedman Classic Fellowship. She grew up in Melbourne and studied at the Australian National Academy of Music before continuing her studies with the renowned violist Tabea Zimmermann at the Hochschule für Musik in Berlin.