BIANCA PORCHEDDU

CBE Concertmaster

 

Bianca Porcheddu, a versatile baroque and modern violinist, is equally adept as a soloist and ensemble leader. Recently, she was featured as a protagonist in the cinematic film documentary "Living Bach" by German Film Director Anna Schmidt, exploring the universal secrets of JS Bach across continents, including Central Australia. In 2022, Bianca performed at the International Bach Festival with the Leipzig Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Ton Koopman, and will return in 2024 with the Canberra Bach Ensemble.

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For over 20 years, Bianca has been a regular member and soloist with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, touring nationally and internationally, including performances at the BBC Proms in London, and earning five Classical Aria Awards. She has also made significant contributions to recordings and performances with various Australian baroque ensembles, such as Pinchgut Opera, the Australian Haydn Ensemble, the Bach Akademie Australia, Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra, Salut Baroque, and as Concert Master for the Handel in the Theatre Orchestra, working closely with Artistic Director Tobias Cole and Conductor Brett Weymark.

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Following her Masters in The Hague in 2000, supported by The Queens Trust Award and the Nuffic Dutch Government Scholarship, Bianca assumed leading positions in prestigious period orchestras across Europe, including the New Dutch Academy Orchestra, European Union Baroque Orchestra, Academia Montis Regalis, Acadèemie Baroque Europèenne d'Ambronay, il Complesso Barocco, Les Perrugues d'Amsterdam, and Collegium Musicum, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra.

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Her passion for language and linguistics enriches her work as a violinist, where she collaborates with singers on musical rhetoric, historical pronunciation, and dramatic oratory. Bianca's focus on cutting-edge research of 19th-century performance practices and historically informed practice across eras inspires her to communicate music with empathy, nuance, and context, carrying the legacy of historically informed performance practice to future generations.

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Bianca's musical journey has been marked by dedication, talent, and a profound love for creating soul-stirring melodies on her beloved violin. Alongside her musical pursuits, she is a respected educator at Merici College in Canberra, holding the role of Academic Studies Coordinator and Highly Accomplished Teacher Assessor.

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Recognised for her musical excellence and dedication, Bianca was awarded the esteemed Erica Haas Prize for the Leading ANU Instrumentalist at the Australian National University, Canberra School of Music, graduating with 1st Class Honours in 1998. She was also honoured as Italo-Australian Woman of The Year in 2003, for her contributions to both the Australian and Italian communities through her musical excellence.

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As Bianca continues to captivate audiences with her artistry and passion, her legacy in the world of classical music is sure to endure for generations to come.

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