The ‘Zellwood Quartet’ will perform as part of Arts Victoria’s cultural program during ‘Victoria Week’ (May 17-23) in the Australia Pavilion, which is expected to welcome more than 40,000 visitors each day over the course of the Expo.

The four students from the String Department in the University of Melbourne’s School of Music, part of the Faculty of the VCA and Music (VCAM) were selected because their talent reflects the high standard of the University of Melbourne’s music performance programs.

The Zellwood Quartet is made up of Bachelor of Music (Performance) students Bridget Graham (violin), Sophie Hudgell (violin), Nelson Yarwood (viola) and Josie Graham (cello).

The group is incredibly excited to be representing Australia’s cultural life to the world at the Shanghai Expo, and also by the opportunity to perform as part of the ‘Global Ensemble’ Project, convened by VCAM to provide an environment in which students interact with colleagues from diverse artistic, musical and cultural backgrounds, which International Development Manager at VCAM Steven Burns says is "integral to a successful performance career in this increasingly interconnected and global artistic community".

Comprising the VCAM quartet and musicians from the Royal College of Music (London), Shanghai Conservatory, and the Nanjing Arts Institute and Nanjing University, a total of fifteen students will rehearse and perform side-by-side for one week in Shanghai, working on repertoire by composers representative of the countries from which the students originate, ahead of concerts in the Australia Pavilion, Shanghai Conservatorium and the Nanjing Concert Hall.

The Global Ensemble will perform works by Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe and will also be performing the world premiere of VCAM lecturer in composition Julian Yu’s Mozartiana.