Lerida Delbridge, Principal Second Violin
Take us through your training and career that has led you to being appointed Principal Second Violin of the Sydney Symphony today.
I read a wonderful quote by Stephen Hawking… “It you look behind every exceptional person there is an exceptional teacher”. I am not suggesting for a moment that I am exceptional, but I believe that I was fortunate to learn from three exceptional musicians who inspired my journey as a person and as a musician.
I began learning the Suzuki method when I was 3, but when I was 7, I began learning from Brian Finlayson. Brian had such a great studio that he established a chamber orchestra for his best pupils, aged 9 to 14. We played unconducted and toured Europe performing Vivaldi, Corelli, Bach, Mozart. This sparked my love of ensemble playing.
My next teacher, Marco Van Pagee, would play duos with me in every lesson and quickly recruited me to play in his orchestra for tertiary graduates. This was my first taste of symphonic playing and I loved it! I was also fortunate that I was given principal positions at an early age which I think fuelled my desire to sit at the front of the orchestra!
My third teacher, William Hennessy, gave me a love of string quartet playing and I spent my 20s touring with the Tinalley String Quartet. After winning the Ninth Banff International String Quartet Competition, we performed around the world in halls and series such as the Berlin Konzerthaus, Vienna Musikverein, Amsterdam Concertgebouw.
I think quartet players make wonderful orchestral players and principals. Firstly, you learn exceptional mediation skills when you are in a quartet! But you also learn to be adaptable, quick, fearless and as a second violinist, you learn how to blend with the lower voices, shadow the first violin, shape rhythmic motives and at times, shine as brightly as the first violin! All of these qualities translate to the orchestral world.
Many people believe that the second violin section simply plays an octave lower than the firsts, but the second violins, together with the viola section, can transform the string section of an orchestra. I believe that to be a great second violinist requires a completely different skillset to a first violin. And as the newest member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's Second Violin section, I think the section is a brilliant asset to the Orchestra (I may be a little biased!).
What is your most cherished musical memory of your Sydney Symphony career so far?
I have always loved touring, and not just international tours. In my first year, the orchestra toured to Broken Hill: this was the closest I had travelled to central Australia and I found it fascinating. I was thrilled to perform in the Berlin Philharmonie and Philharmonie de Paris in 2018. I have also loved the special projects the orchestra has programmed, in particular, Strauss’ Elektra, Britten’s Peter Grimes and Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess were highlights. I love Beethoven’s Piano Concertos and performing the entire cycle with Emmanuel Ax was a rare privilege!
Successfully auditioning for my new role as Principal Second was also a great moment. After the audition, the entire panel joined me for a celebratory group photo… I never imagined an audition day could end with such happiness!
What makes a good musical leader and how does that inform your work as Section Principal?
I am always striving to be a great principal. I think it is akin to playing an instrument, there is always room for improvement and more to learn. Every principal role is slightly different depending on the section, but I think a leader should be adaptable, willing to listen and able to value every member of their team.
I also think a good leader can make quick decisions and be prepared for every question in advance. As we perform three new works every week, I strive to be at performance level from the first downbeat of the rehearsal so that I can inspire my colleagues to play their best and I can lead with confidence.
What excites or inspires you the most about the Orchestra at the moment?
In the previous two years, the Orchestra has made many new appointments. I think it’s very exciting. It’s wonderful to see colleagues I have worked with for many years stepping into new roles, and to meet and play with new faces from around the world. Every orchestra experiences moments of change and renewal and I feel as though I am a part of that change, which is exciting.
Curate a playlist of your top 3 pieces to listen to.
- Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3
- Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs
- Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night)
How do you integrate music into your life outside of the Concert Hall? Do you have any passion projects you’re working on?
In 2024, I took over the running of Hunters Hill Music, a music society that has been in operation for over 80 years. It is a volunteer organisation that presents four concerts each year at Hunters Hill Town Hall.
Hunters Hill Music is incredibly fortunate that it has been under the guardianship of two musicians, myself and operatic great Geoffrey Chard, who have so many friends in the industry whom we call on to perform in the Series. It has meant that over the years Hunters Hill Music has presented some of Australia’s finest musicians, and the 2026 season is no exception!
This year we are presenting Sydney Symphony favourite and star of the ABC TV’s The Piano, Andrea Lam, and in October, we are presenting a Gala Evening with the internationally acclaimed soprano, Siobhan Stagg and American pianist, Jonathan Ware. Siobhan sang at my wedding and she is enjoying a sensational solo career, so I am thrilled that she will be performing for Hunters Hill Music.
We have also collaborated with local businesses, so the Gala Evening will feature a bespoke supper curated Boronia Kitchen and Savannah Estate Wines. I love being able to give back in this way to the community, and in these uncertain times, I think it is so important that people can come together and join in a shared experience.
You can find us at huntershillmusic.com.au.
Where might we find you when you’re not practicing or performing?
In the garden, walking the dog and working on a various interior design projects (I just completed a Diploma of Interior Design that I started during the pandemic). My husband and I just completed redesigning our home and I am starting to work on a few projects for friends.
What’s your favourite piece of media to indulge in?
I love reading! As a child, I devoured books but I have found it difficult to find time in recent years. One of my new year resolutions includes reading a new book every month.
I am just about to start Hamnet and I am also reading the new biography about Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop by Peter Fitzsimmons. Sir Edward was a friend of my grandmothers and used to come to my concerts when I was 8 years old. Following the concerts, we would have afternoon tea at his beautiful grand mansion in Toorak and we would write letters to each other! At the time it seemed completely normal that I would be writing to an 80 year old man who seemed to be a giant teddy bear. I now look back and realise how extraordinary it was!