WILLEM VAN DER VIS
New Zealand born Willem van der Vis gained a B.Sc (Hons.) in physics before focusing on music, playing principal cello with the Dunedin Sinfonia and NZ Symphony Training Orchestra.
In 1979 he moved to Australia, where he became a member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Other orchestras he has played with include the New Zealand, Tasmanian and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras and Orchestra Victoria.
As an orchestral cellist, he was always fascinated by how a conductor interacted with and communicated music to an orchestra. This led him to complete his B.Mus. (conducting) at the WAAPA and the VCA (with Robert Rosen) and to subsequent conducting studies in Moscow, England, and the Czech Republic. He is presently enjoying further study with John Hopkins in Melbourne.
Willem is currently Musical director of the Maroondah Symphony Orchestra, the Murray Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra and Margaret Sutherland Strings. He has also conducted the Stonnington and New Monash Symphony Orchestras, the Ballarat Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society, the Murray River Three Choirs Festival, the Kooyong Chamber Players, and many stage shows.
He works actively in music camps and workshops around Australia.
