Bassoon

Matthew Wilkie: Principal Bassoon

Matthew Wilkie was born in Orange and studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in Brisbane. During his studies he performed as a soloist with the Queensland Youth Orchestra on numerous occasions, and after graduating he settled in Hannover, Germany, where he continued his studies with Professor Klaus Thunemann.

In Germany, he appeared as soloist with a number of orchestras including the South West Germany Chamber Orchestra and the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra. He won second prize in the International Music Competition in Geneva where he performed the Mozart Bassoon Concerto with the Orchestra de la Suisse Romande.

Matthew Wilkie joined the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in 1986 as Principal Bassoon and has made a number of solo performances and recordings with them, including the Mozart Bassoon Concerto and the Strauss Duet Concertino. He has also recorded Mozart’s Wind Serenades and Divertimenti with the Wind Soloists of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. In 1995, together with members of the COE, he recorded the six Trio Sonatas by Jan Dismas Zelenka.

Matthew Wilkie was appointed Principal Bassoon with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2000.

Roger Brooke: Associate Principal Bassoon

Born in England, Roger Brooke studied in Sydney with John Cran and was a member of the ABC National Training Orchestra. He subsequently joined the Elizabethan Trust Orchestra and a year later he was appointed to the position of Principal Bassoon. Following this he was appointed Associate Principal Bassoon with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In 1984 Roger Brooke moved to Frankfurt, Germany, and performed as a freelance musician with a number of ensembles including Ensemble Modern and the New York Kammermusiker at festivals in Berlin, Salzburg and Warsaw. After two seasons as Deputy Principal Bassoon in opera houses in Karlsruhe and Stuttgart, he took up the position of Principal Bassoon at the opera house in St Gallen, Switzerland. He moved back to Australia in 1991 and returned to his Associate Principal position with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In addition to his performing career with the SSO, Roger Brooke also maintains an interest in choral singing and rare wind instruments of the Mediaeval and Renaissance periods.

Fiona McNamara: Bassoon

Born in Sydney, Fiona McNamara began piano lessons at the age of five and later took up the violin. She attended the Sydney Conservatorium High School and at the age of 13 decided to focus her studies on the bassoon. She studied with Gordon Skinner and was awarded numerous prizes during her high school years. She received her Associate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music (ASCM) with Merit in 1989 and subsequently graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor’s degree in 1993. She was appointed to a position in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra the same year.

Fiona McNamara has been the recipient of various scholarships including a Big Brother Scholarship in 1992 for study in London with William Waterhouse, and in Amsterdam with Brian Pollard. A Sydney Symphony Friends Scholarship in 1997 enabled her to take further lessons in Frankfurt with the current Principal Bassoon of the SSO, Matthew Wilkie.

Fiona McNamara has worked with many different ensembles and orchestras including the Sydney Alpha Ensemble, Seymour Group, Australia Ensemble, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Sydney Philharmonia.