MARGARET DICKSON

Margaret showed musical talent from an early age, and was deeply immersed in violin playing and ballet. She had no intention however, of pursuing music as a profession when she started her course at Melbourne University, but agreed to be a foundation teacher of the Music in Schools program. She then undertook a whirlwind course at the National Training Orchestra before joining the Elizabethan Melbourne Orchestra (Now the State Orchestra of Victoria). She completed her Arts Degree during this period, majoring in French.

After then joining the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, she travelled to Cologne to study with Igor Ozim, and on her return re-joined the Orchestra in the first violin section, where she played for ten years. Upon marriage to Paul, she left the Orchestra to raise a family (Adelaide, born in 81 and Dominic, born in 82). Margaret continued to play chamber music with the Rantos Collegium and the Melbourne Philharmonia, free-lance work, Opera and ballet as well as teaching. Like Paul, Margaret has enjoyed playing in the Australian Philharmonic Orchestra in its entertaining and polished concerts. She has worked and toured with artists as diverse as Stevie Wonder, Kiri Te Kanawa, Barry White, Led Zeppelin, Electric Light Orchestra, Shirley Bassey, Joan Sutherland, Alice Cooper, Gene Pitney, Wayne Newton, Dionne Warwick and many others.

Margaret continues to teach and play, particularly in Trio Grande format and its offshoot, The Excelsior Trio, playing baroque and Classical repertoire.