Conductor

A highly-respected conductor, Dr Joanna Drimatis is known as a champion of Australian music, contemporary classical music and emerging musical voices, and was recognised in the 2020 Art Music Awards, receiving the Music Luminary Award for her advocacy, programming and performance of Australian music. 

Dr Drimatis is currently Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Beecroft Orchestra, and has previously held similar positions with Christchurch Youth Orchestra and Adelaide Youth Sinfonia. She has been Guest Conductor for The Cooperative, Australian Doctors’ Orchestra, Sydney Youth Orchestra, Mosman Symphony, Woollahra Philharmonic and the Orange Chamber Music Festival Ensemble.

Performer

As a violinist/violist, Dr Drimatis has performed professionally both in Australia and overseas in orchestras that include the Boulder Philharmonic (USA), Christchurch Symphony and Dunedin Symphony (NZ) as well as the Adelaide and Canberra Symphony in Australia.  

Dr Drimatis has performed at major festivals including the Aspen Music Festival (USA), Strawberry Creek Festival (USA), Christchurch Arts Festival (NZ) as well as the Nelson Young Composers Workshop (NZ), Australasian Computer Music Conference (Aus) and the University of Colorado Boulder's Pendulum New Music series (USA).

Educator

Dr Drimatis is a specialist in string pedagogy and has taught in Australia, New Zealand and the USA, including the School of Instrumental Studies in Western Australia, Canberra School of Music Preparatory Program, Texas String Project at University of Texas in Austin, Christchurch School of Music, Elder Conservatorium and Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Dr Drimatis has also given presentations on string and orchestral pedagogy with emphasis on the use of Australian repertoire for training orchestras, including a presentation on this topic at the 2019 Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, USA. Until recently, Dr Drimatis was Head of Strings at MLC School in Sydney, and is currently the Music Education Specialist for the Australian Music Centre.