About

Adrian Davis is a dynamic violist, educator, and artistic leader whose career bridges continents and communities through the power of music. With a rich background that spans the United States and Australia, Adrian brings a global perspective to his work as Artistic Director of Steel City Strings, where he fosters bold musical collaborations and champions inclusive, community-driven programming.

A graduate of the University of Alabama (B.M.) and the University of Colorado Boulder (M.M.) in Viola Performance, Adrian has built an accomplished career as both a performer and educator. His artistry has been shaped by mentors such as Dr. Daniel Sweaney, Hillary Herndon, Erika Eckert, and Geraldine Walther, and showcased in chamber and orchestral settings across North America and Australia. He currently serves as Principal Viola and Artistic Director of Steel City Strings.

As an educator, Adrian is known for his innovative and compassionate approach to string pedagogy. He was the Head of the Junior Strings Program and Interim String Program Lead at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music, where he designed and led engaging programs that empowered musicians of all ages. With past roles at institutions including The Lovett School in Atlanta, Georgia, USA and numerous community-based initiatives, Adrian is passionate about nurturing student growth, creativity and resilience.

Adrian is currently investing in the development of his own string school, an initiative grounded in his core values of equity, creativity, and student-centred learning, while also thoughtfully exploring the next steps in furthering his higher education.

A firm believer in the transformative potential of music, Adrian founded the Five Islands String Orchestra to create a joyful, accessible learning environment for mature-aged string players across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, and Southern Highlands regions. His leadership style blends strategic vision with deep empathy, consistently centring equity, artistic integrity, and community connection.

Whether on the podium, in the classroom, or in performance, Adrian leads with heart, innovation, and a commitment to making music matter.

Kyle Little is the Assistant Artistic Director and Concert Master of Steel City Strings. Since 2014, He has worked with the Illawarra and Southern Highlands community to promote local music in the area. Kyle completed his Bachelor of Music in violin performance from the University of Dalhousie in 2006. He graduated from the University of Wollongong in 2010 with a Graduate Diploma in Education and in 2013 with a Masters in Education – Research.

When Kyle is not playing the violin, he is working as an instrumental ensemble director and Head of Music at Campbelltown High School of Performing Arts. Kyle continues to work with his school community to develop new and innovative programs for years 7-12 students. He has been awarded for his work in education, receiving the NSW ACEL Mary Armstrong Award for educational leadership in 2017.

Kyle continues to advocate for the importance of quality music education in schools, and works to provide students with meaningful performance opportunities.

Ethan Ireland began playing Double Bass at the age of 12. He went on to study at the Conservatorium of Music in Sydney, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Performance) in 2016. He has been a member of the Sydney Youth Orchestra, has attended the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp, and took part in the 2016 Hennessy Concert Series with Stars of Opera Australia at the Hanoi Opera House in Vietnam.

Ethan has performed as a soloist with Steel City Strings, and is a regular member of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra, Steel City Strings, and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. In addition to performing with many other groups and ensembles around NSW, Ethan also teaches some of the next generation of young Double Bass players in the Sydney, Wollongong, and Southern Highlands areas.

Jacob first began to play music when he was 4 years old, learning to play the piano from a lady who lived down the street. Once he started learning to play the violin at age 9 however, he realised that the violin was his preferred instrument.

From then on he pursued this passion, playing in community youth orchestras and major music camps before leaving school and moving on to study a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Since completing this degree in 2011, Jacob has been teaching strings and running string programs and ensembles at several different primary and high schools in the Shoalhaven and Southern Highlands.

Music is not Jacob’s only passion however. He has also been a pilot since 2012 and is a member of the Australian Aerobatic Club and regularly competes in nation wide aerobatic competitions.

Omid Moheb-Zadeh, a dynamic and talented conductor, has carved a captivating path through the world of orchestral music, leaving his mark as a visionary artist and inspiring leader. With an innate passion for conducting and an unwavering dedication to his craft, Moheb-Zadeh’s journey from his early musical endeavors to becoming the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director the Sydney Concert Orchestra is a tale of artistic growth, mentorship, and innovation.

Born and raised in Iran, Omid Moheb-Zadeh’s affinity for music was kindled from his early teens. His journey unfolded with the melodies of classical piano, and he pursued this passion by enrolling in the Australian Institute of Music. Under the guidance of esteemed mentors like Dr. Wojciech Wiśniewski, Dr. Suzanna Hlinka, and Dr. Alistair Noble, he honed his skills and earned a Bachelor of Music, majoring in classical piano performance and conducting.

It was Omid’s unwavering interest in conducting that set his path ablaze. Recognizing his innate talent, he ascended the ranks swiftly, securing the position of assistant conductor for the AIM Chamber Orchestra. Under the mentorship of conductor Sarah-Grace Williams, he embarked on a transformative journey, absorbing insights into the art of conducting and orchestration.

Omid’s thirst for knowledge led him to further horizons. Guided by his desire to refine his craft, he pursued advanced studies in orchestral conducting, benefiting from a scholarship awarded by The Metropolitan Orchestra. Not content with local tutelage alone, he studied score reading, analysis, and conducting at Juilliard Online, enriching his understanding of orchestral dynamics and interpretation.

As he continued his educational odyssey, Moheb-Zadeh’s path intertwined with the luminaries of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Masters in Opera Conducting became his next milestone, supported by the prestigious Helen Quach Conducting Scholarship. Today, he remains an integral part of the conservatory, contributing as an assistant conductor and research staff, nurturing the next generation of musical luminaries.

Moheb-Zadeh’s influence spans beyond academia. He wields the baton as a guest conductor for the North Sydney Youth Orchestra, and as a musical director for the Men’s Shed Chorale and Eastern Sydney Chamber Choir and Orchestra. His artistic vision crystallized with the establishment of the Sydney Concert Orchestra in 2022, a testament to his leadership and ambition.

Born into a musical family in Melbourne, Australia, David went to the Tasmanian Conservatorium where he studied with Professor Jan Sedivka. Post-graduate studies took David to the Koelner Musikhochschule in Germany where he studied with Professor Igor Ozim and members of the Amadeus Quartet.  

He returned to Australia to lead the New England String Quartet, the resident ensemble at the University of New England in Armidale. After a successful stint there, David freelanced in Sydney, working with all the major orchestras, until taking a position of Director of Strings at Newington College.    

David Saffir was appointed Director of Strings at Barker College in 2000. He works with students throughout the school as an instrumental teacher and ensemble director. He leads a vibrant team of thirteen string teachers; consequently, string playing throughout the school has developed strongly, with over two hundred students playing in its many string orchestras. David’s ensembles have toured successfully internationally and interstate, and have won numerous events at the Sydney Eisteddfod. There is also a thriving chamber music program. 

David continues to perform professionally as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. For many years he was concertmaster of the Balmain Sinfonia and then from 2005 – 2015 he was Concertmaster of the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra and Concertmaster Emeritus until 2019.  He has also conducted both of those orchestras.

Most recently, he had a successful stint as both conductor and performer at the Riverina Summer School for Strings in Wagga Wagga.

Joanna Drimatis is a respected advocate for Australian and contemporary classical music, contributing as a conductor, performer, musical director, researcher, and educator.

She is currently Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Beecroft Orchestra and Resident Conductor of the NSW Doctors’ Orchestra. Joanna has guest conducted numerous ensembles, including the Australian Doctors’ Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Mosman Symphony, and Woollahra Philharmonic. Recent highlights include The Marriage of Figaro, the Australian premiere of Kaija Saariaho’s Émilie, the world premiere of Felicity Wilcox’s Threading the Light, Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, and Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites.

Previously, she led the Christchurch Youth Orchestra (NZ) and worked with the Adelaide Youth Orchestra Association, initiating collaborations, commissions, and broadcasts on NZ Concert FM and ABC Classic. Her guest conducting work spans both Australia and New Zealand, including orchestras such as the Christchurch Symphony and Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra.

Joanna holds degrees in Music Education and Violin Performance, a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Texas at Austin, and a PhD in Musicology from the University of Adelaide, focusing on mid-20th century Australian orchestral music. As a violinist and violist, she has performed professionally in Australia and abroad.

She is also active in music education, with a particular focus on integrating Australian repertoire into string and orchestral training. In 2019, she was invited to present on this topic at the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago.