Phoebe Russell and Therese Milanovic

The repertoire for today’s concert was chosen due to my personal connection with each piece. An eclectic range of works are represented in the program, including songs for voice and pieces that highlight the virtuosity of the double bass. 7 lockdown miniatures for 2 basses was written especially for my husband and me by our close friend Paul Dean, with each short movement representing different days of a week during the Brisbane lockdown in April. I’ve also wanted to perform the other pieces in today’s program for a long time, and this period of isolation gave me the opportunity to learn this beautiful new repertoire. I am truly ecstatic to be performing at the UQ School of Music (albeit, virtually) after such a long period of very few concerts! - Phoebe Russel, QSO Double Bassist. 

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Phoebe Russell

Double bassist Phoebe Russell enjoys a career as an active soloist, performer and educator. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Phoebe studied at the Australian National Academy of Music under the tutelage of Damien Eckersley. At the age of 17 she moved to Berlin and within months made her debut in the esteemed double bass section of the Berlin Philharmonic. A graduate of Berlin Philharmonic’s Karajan Academy, Phoebe has performed in more than twenty countries across the globe with some of the world’s leading orchestras. The last few years have seen her perform with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester, the Netherlands Philharmonic and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra among others.

In 2017 Phoebe was appointed principal double bass of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and is regularly invited to orchestras as a guest principal. She has been invited to perform as principal double bass with many Australian symphony orchestra and has most recently returned from a Europe tour leading the double bass section of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. She has had the privilege of working under several world class conductors, some personal favourites including Sir Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, Andris Nelsons, Daniel Barenboim and Zubin Mehta.

An avid soloist, Phoebe is regularly invited to perform as recitalist in Australia and abroad including to a full house in the Berlin Philharmonic lunch concert series. She has performed as soloist with orchestras including the Queensland, Tasmanian and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, the Baden-Baden Philharmonic and 2019 will see her perform as a soloist in several venues across the country.

Phoebe is an active member of Ensemble Q, one of Australia’s most dynamic new ensembles and enjoys an engaging schedule of chamber music collaborations in Brisbane and around the country with world class musicians.

Parallel to her busy performance schedule, Phoebe is a passionate educator and is the lecturer in double bass at The University of Queensland and a faculty member of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. She has coached the Australian Youth Orchestra’s National Music Camp, given classes at the Guildhall School of Music in London, the Melbourne and Sydney Conservatoriums of Music, the Australian National Academy of Music and at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá.

Therese Milanovic

Therese is a passionate performer, educator, and musicians’ health advocate.

As a performer, Therese loves collaborating with like-minded musicians. She has performed with Topology since 2009, including shows in the Netherlands, NYC, Belgium, Indonesia, and national tours and festivals. Chamber music is also close to her heart, presenting events to highlight lesser-known repertoire, in particular new music and music by women (see www.musestrio.com).  

After a decade of playing-related injuries, studying the Taubman Approach (USA) enabled her to resume her chosen pathway to the fullest. Therese was the first Australian to become a Taubman Instructor (2009), the focus of her PhD, and is the most experienced Taubman teacher in Australia (Master Level and Associate Faculty with the Golandsky Institute USA). She is an advocate for musicians’ injury prevention and rehabilitation, providing access for curious interstate and international students through Skype and also Coach on Demand consultations, alongside workshops, teacher training and lectures. Therese has been a Keynote Speaker for numerous national conferences including APPCA and ANZCA. She is committed to her ongoing learning and artistic development through continued study with Edna Golandsky and John Bloomfield via Skype.



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