Elsley Ensembles - Evan Elsley

Violinist Evan Elsley studied at the University of Sydney, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and at the State Conservatorium of Music in Warsaw, Poland.

As a Soloist, Violinist-Conductor and Orchestral Leader he has led many Concert, Viennese, Salon, Dance, Recording Orchestras and Gypsy Bands in Europe and Australia. These have included repeat performances for HM The Queen & HRH Duke of Edinburgh, all Australian Prime Ministers from McMahon to Howard, Foreign Governments and Heads of State (such as the British Prime Minister, the Japanese Cabinet), numerous State Premiers, Governors, Consuls, international Royalty and Religious leaders.

He is regularly booked to perform for local and visiting celebrity clientele from businessmen Murdoch, Packer, Singleton, Laws, legendary actresses like Audrey Hepburn to Nicole Kidman, Prescilla Presley, Sam Neill, Paul Hogan, Kate Fisher, to Elton John, Elle Macpherson, society engagements for Lady Fairfax, Cointreux Ball, fashion launches (like Collette Dinnigan) to official Government functions such as entertaining the IOC Chairman.

He has performed for product launches, film sound tracks, International Hotel events and live TV appearances. He has also led front acts for pop stars ranging from J.O'K to Midnight Oil, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and has been booked by other musicians and their promoters for their own entertainment. These have included the cast of Les Miserables, Moscow and Australian Ballet Companies, The Royal Amsterdam, Hunter, Melbourne and Sydney Symphony Orchestras.

As a Soloist, he has often performed to live audiences up to 7,000 and on TV to 4 million people.

He has recorded on the EMI, Festival, K Tel and Larrikin labels. Radio broadcasts have been for the ABC, FM Radio and Commercial stations such as 104.1 (2DayFM), 2MBS FM. TV credits range through Midday Shows, GMA, ABC music specials, current affair programs like Four Corners, "soaps" (including Neighbours), film appearances, TV episodes, pop videos, along with the visuals of many TV commercials for the Australian, American and Japanese tourist markets (clients such as Audi, Telegraph Mirror). Print appearances have included Vogue, Bulletin, Women's Weekly, Woman's Day to Qantas magazines.

His experience covers solo club acts (including performing at the Club of the Year Award), many New Year's Eve parties for the Sydney Opera House and residencies at International Hotels such as the Melbourne Windsor Hotel, Landmark Hotel, Sydney Opera House's Bennelong Restaurant, Sydney Showboat 11 and Sydney Hilton. He has toured and played in backing bands for legendary entertainers like Charles Aznavour, Peter Allen, Gene Pitney, John Denver to Tommy Tycho star support orchestras to local artists such as Peter Coussens, Maria Venuti and for many Stage Musicals.

He is a Diploma String Examiner, Violin lecturer for University performance degrees and received the AMEB Examiner Award in 2005 He is in constant demand as an eisteddfod adjudicator and to conduct string performance workshops.

He has performed concertos, solo recitals and world premiers of major Australasian composers. His concert engagements have been for organizations such as Musica Viva, ABC, Sydney Festival, ISCM, Conservatoriums, Universities, Arts Councils and Music Clubs. He regularly performs at Sydney's major concert venues and tours.

His performance instruments include a 300 year old Italian Violin and modern Violins by Multiple International Award Winners Scott Cao and K M Guan, prizewinners in the International Violin Making Competitions of Germany, Poland, Italy, and America.