Get to Know: Ms Shannon Tobin

Photo by Morgan Roberts Creative by Sean Dowling

Our very own Head of Performance, Ms Shannon Tobin, is a long-time member of Camerata, Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra. Camerata was founded in 1987 by acclaimed string educator Elizabeth Morgan AM, as an idealistic ensemble of emerging Artists which she then formed into a professional chamber orchestra in 2005.

Performing without a conductor, the Artistic Associates and their guest artists proudly take full ownership of the music to form a thriving, refreshing and acclaimed voice within the Australian Arts landscape.

The constantly evolving group undertakes a major concert season annually in both Brisbane at QPAC and The Empire Theatre in Toowoomba. In addition, the orchestra perform regularly in festivals, collaborations, regional tours, live-to-air national broadcasts, recording, and fundraising activities.

Ms Tobin has also performed with other music ensembles and orchestras such as the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. She studied overseas in Switzerland for three years and had the wonderful opportunity to perform in the Luzern Symphony Orchestra. She likes a diverse range of music and has played with ballet and musical companies, likes contemporary classical music, and in the car, she listens to the latest popular music songs.

At St Aidan’s, as well as being the Head of Performance, she is the conductor of Corelli Strings, Vivaldi Strings, Dolce Strings, Clementi Celli and Da Capo String Quartet. She thoroughly enjoys teaching and being able to develop the next generation of musicians. Her career goal is to support students through their own musical journey and send them on their way when they leave school with a love of music.

At the moment, Mrs Tobin is enjoying turning up the car radio with her family and singing along to Shivers by Ed Sheeran and getting all of our talented music groups ready to perform at the Gala Concerts at the end of Term 3.