Five string players are among the thirteen musicians chosen for the leading Australian orchestra’s fellowship programme
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has named its 2026 fellows. Thirteen musicians were chosen for the programme, five of which are string players: violinists Liam Pilgrim and Lydia Sawires, violist Sebastian Coyne, cellist Noah Lawrence and bassist Rio Kawaguchi. Pilgrim and Lawrence were also SSO fellows in 2025.
The year-long fellowship programme is in its 24th year. It consists of masterclasses with world-renowned artists, dedicated mentorship from SSO musicians and performance opportunities across a range of musical styles. The fellows take part in both chamber and orchestral performances, from mainstage concerts to the orchestra’s Learning & Engagement activities and regional programmes.
Violinist Liam Pilgrim is originally from Newcastle, New South Wales. He is an alumnus of both Adelaide’s Elder Conservatorium and the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), where he studied with Zoë Black, Adam Chalabi and Sophie Rowell. As part of the Rosina Quartet, he has undertaken masterclasses with the Brodsky Quartet, Thomas Carroll and Matthew Jones.
Born and raised in Sydney, violinist Lydia Sawires completed her bachelor’s at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before studying at ANAM with Zoë Black and Adam Chalabi. She has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia and the Sydney, Melbourne, West Australian and Tasmanian symphony orchestras.
Violist Sebastian Coyne studied at ANAM under Caroline Henbest and is currently completing a bachelor’s at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. At ANAM, he was awarded the Brett Dean Prize for the best performance of an Australian work at the ANAM Set Festival. He has taken part in masterclasses with Lawrence Power, Timothy Ridout and Florian Peelman.
Cellist Noah Lawrence hails from Bendigo, Victoria, and studied under Howard Penny at ANAM. He was principal cello of the Australian Youth Orchestra in 2024 and has performed with several major Australian orchestras. As a chamber musician and soloist he has played at the Bendigo Chamber Fesrival and Port Fairy Spring Festival.
Based in Brisbane, bassist Rio Kawaguchi is currently studying with Phoebe Russell at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith Unversity. She has toured to Europe with the Australian Youth Orchestra and around regional Queensland with Camerata. She has also performed with the Sydney, Queensland, Tasmanian and Adelaide symphony orchestras.
The seven remaining fellows are Amy Clough (oboe), Justin Wang (clarinet), Jay Lee (bassoon), Lucy Smith (French horn), Sophie Kukulies (trumpet), Harrison Steele-Holmes (trombone) and Leah Columbine (percussion).
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