Oboes

Diana Doherty: Principal Oboe

ANDREW KALDOR & RENATA KALDOR AO CHAIR

Diana Doherty joined the Sydney Symphony as Principal Oboe in 1997, having held the same position with the Symphony Orchestra of Lucerne (1990–1997). She was born in Brisbane and completed her undergraduate studies at the Victorian College of the Arts. In 1985 she won the Other Instruments section of the ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition, and was named Most Outstanding Competitor Overall. In 1989 she completed her post-graduate diploma in Zurich, studying with Thomas Indermühle.

Since then she has appeared as a soloist throughout the world, and career highlights have included the premiere of Ross Edward’s Oboe Concerto with the Sydney Symphony, followed by invitations to perform it with the New York, Royal Liverpool and Malaysian philharmonic orchestras. She has played concertos with the major symphony orchestras in Australia and New Zealand, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Musica Viva, Seymour Group and Ensemble Kanazawa Japan, and in 1994 she was the soloist on the Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Chinese tour. She has also appeared in numerous international festivals, including the Prague Spring Festival, where she won first prize in the 1991 festival competition for her performance of the Martinu concerto. Her most recent concerto appearance with the Sydney Symphony was in 2008, when she played Mozart. 

Shefali Pryor: Associate Principal Oboe

Shefali Pryor grew up in Sydney where she graduated with first class honours from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. During her studies she participated in numerous programs with the Australian Youth Orchestra and was a member of the Sydney Sinfonia. Upon graduating she joined the Sydney Symphony as Second Oboe.

In 2004 and 2005 she was granted leave in order to study with Stefan Schilli at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg. Not long after her return to Australia she was appointed Associate Principal Oboe. In 2006 she won the Other Instrumental category of the Symphony Australia Young Performer Awards. She has performed as soloist with the Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmanian symphony orchestras, including performances with violinist Nigel Kennedy in 2006.

Shefali Pryor has performed as guest principal with the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the Auckland Philharmonia, and as a casual musician with the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. She is a founding member of the Sydney Omega Ensemble and has performed with the Australia Ensemble, Sydney Soloists, and Southern Cross Soloists as well as with the staff of the Sydney Conservatorium, where she teaches oboe.

David Papp: Oboe

David Papp began studying piano at the age of six and oboe at the age of nine. In 2001, at the age of 17, he completed his Licentiate of Music diplomas on both oboe and piano. He completed his Bachelor of Music Performance degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2008 and that same year was awarded a Sydney Symphony Fellowship. He also performed in a private concert for Pope Benedict XVI during the World Youth Day celebrations in Sydney.

In 2008 he travelled to Beijing with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music to participate in a Musicathlon organised by the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music and the Yale School of Music. He was also awarded a 2008 Big Brother Travelling Scholarship. He has also been a member of the SBS Youth Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra and Sydney Sinfonia.

In 2009 David Papp was appointed to the position of 2nd oboe with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and was a Grand Finalist in the Symphony Australia/ABC Young Performer Awards.