The Chanterelle String Quartet, with members, Fiona Ziegler, Leone Ziegler-violins, Jane Hazelwood-viola and Adrian Wallis cello, made its debut in 2010 performing at the Spring Festival Chamber Music Series for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The players are all accomplished and well-respected members of the SSO with extensive experience in chamber music.

Their busy schedule as a Quartet sees them performing for the SSO Utzon Room Series, Pini, Hazelwood and Friends, ABC Sunday Live, Midday Music, The Sydney Mozart Society, The Delmar Foundation, The Chatswood Concourse Series, Symphony in the Vines, Mosman Concert Series, Lanc Cove Music Club, Roseville Music Club, Wyvern Music Club, Killara Music Club, Family Concerts with the talented Emily McKnight and are regular performers as special guests at numerous Gala Events.

The Chanterelle String Quartet is honoured to have a musical association with their friend and colleague, the composer and performer Dr Stephen Lalor. Their highly successful CD, which is featured on ABC Classic FM and 2MBS Fine Music, showcases the music written by Stephen for the Quartet.

Fiona Ziegler commenced her career as a violinist during her final year at the Sydney Conservatorium High School, embarking on a tour of China with the Australian Youth Orchestra. The following year she became a core member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra, touring to Asia, Europe and the UK. After four years with ACO she then became a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s First Violin section. Fiona has twice been state finalist in the ABC Young Performers Awards & travelled to the UK on a Sydney Symphony Friend’s Scholarship for master lessons with Eugene Sarbu, Perry Hart, Stanley Richie & Dr Carl Dolmetsch. Fiona began her violin & piano studies at the age of four with her mother, Sydney violinist, Eva Kelly. While at the Sydney Conservatorium High School she studied violin with Christoper Kimber & Harry Curby, piano with Nancy Salas & cello with Lois Simpson, attending master classes with Valery Klimov, Igor Ozim & the Quartetto Beethoven di Roma.

Fiona is one of Sydney’s leading early music specialists & has led the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, performed with Ensemble de la Reine, the Marais Project, Sydney Baroque with Winsome Evans & her own early music ensembles Concertato & Strumenti Barocci. She was a founding member of The Australian Fortepiano Trio with Geoffery Lancaster & Trio Pollastri, made regular appearances with the Renaissance Players, the Sydney Chamber Choir, Corro Innominata & the Sydney Soloists. Fiona is a founding member of the Gagliano String Quartet. She was a member of the Sydney String Quartet for four years & has now formed the Chanterelle String Quartet with her sister Léone & SSO colleagues. Fiona leads the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra & since 2006 has been a regular guest of the acclaimed groups the Grevillea Ensemble & Charisma, performing exciting & challenging programs with her friends Wendy Dixon, Ros Dunlop & David Miller.

In 2005 Fiona took up the mandolin and became a member of the Sydney Mandolin Orchestra, PLEKTRA & Completely Plucked. She is also a member of the viola da gamba ensemble Josie and the Emeralds in which she plays tenor viol. Fiona has led the St Paul’s Baroque Consort under Jack Stephens for its productions of three Purcell operas, performed in the grounds of St Paul’s College, & is part of Jack’s very successful Bach Cantata Project performing Bach’s wonderful Cantatas every month in Churches around Sydney. Fiona is Assistant Concertmaster of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra & plays on her mother’s 250-year-old Testore violin.

Leone Ziegler commenced violin and piano studies with her mother, Eva Kelly, at the age of five. She studied piano with Nancy Salas and violin with Robert Pikler and Harry Curby, graduating from the Sydney Conservatorium High School with an ASCM and then attaining her Bmus. During this time she led the Australian Youth Orchestra on several occasions including a season at the Adelaide Festival and was twice winner of the String Section of the ABC Concerto Competition. Leone was a member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and subsequently appointed to the First Violin Section in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

After winning numerous scholarships, she took leave to study in London, Vienna and Switzerland with Emanuel Hurwitz, Fredericke Grinke and Pierre Amoyal and was invited to play at the Dolmetsch Festival in Haslemere. She returned to London a few years later under an SSO Scholarship to study with David Juritz. With her sister, Fiona and husband Pierre she was a founding member of the Gagliano String Quartet, representing Australia at Portsmouth International Quartet Competition. Leone has worked with the Seymour Group, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Australia Ensemble and Sydney Philharmonia.

Jane Hazelwood studied at the Sydney Conservatorium with Alexandru Todicescu & was accepted into tertiary studies on both violin & viola. In 1978, she was Co-Leader of the Australian Youth Orchestra on violin. She began her professional career as a violinist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 1978. In 1979, Jane focused on viola & completed her D.S.C.M. with Merit whilst a member of the ACO. From 1983 until 1986, Jane undertook post-graduate studies with Wolfram Christ at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin while playing regularly as a casual with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, including two international tours & a Salzburg Festival under the baton of Herbert von Karajan.

On returning from Germany in 1987, Jane was Principal Viola of the ACO & moved to Melbourne in 1989, where she was a String Lecturer at the Victorian College of the Arts, & a member of the Melbourne String Quartet. In 1993, Jane also undertook training in the Suzuki method of teaching for violin & viola with Robert Wakely. In 1995, she returned to Sydney & spent 30 happy years as Tutti Viola with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She spent 3 months on a job swap playing with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London in 2006.

Jane has performed as a guest artist with the Australian Chamber Soloists, the Australia Ensemble, was a member of Pini, Hazelwood & Friends, is a member of the Chanterelle Quartet. She was Guest Principal Viola of the Australian Opera & Ballet Orchestra in November & December 2012. Jane completed her Master of Teaching (Secondary) at UNE in 2015. She is a regular tutor at the Riverina Summer School for Strings & AYO activities. She has taught at the Sydney Conservatorium at tertiary level & for the “Rising Stars” Program & tutored Sydney Youth Orchestra. Jane is the widow of violinist, Carl Pini. They have three children, Daniel (35), cellist & conductor in Paris, Elena (33), amateur violinist & registered nurse/midwife based in Vanuatu, & Sebastian (23), Principal Bass, Cottbus Philharmonic Orchestra & completing his Master of Music at the prestigious Hanns Eisler Conservatorium in Berlin.

Adrian Wallis graduated from the NSW Conservatorium of Music in 1988, where he studied with Lois Simpson, Susan Blake and George Pedersen. He then undertook postgraduate studies in Europe and in the UK with Christopher Bunting before returning to Sydney where he worked for several years as a freelance cellist. During this time he played regularly in all the major Sydney orchestras including the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Australian Chamber Orchestra, as guest principal cello with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and as principal cello for the Bolshoi Ballet in Australia.

Adrian Wallis joined the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 1999. In addition to his extensive experience in the commercial field, Adrian Wallis has played solo cello in various productions for the Sydney Theatre Company, Sydney Dance Company and Belvoir Street Theatre. A former member of the contemporary music ensemble Symeron as well as the Elektra String Quartet, Adrian Wallis has also performed with the Seymour Group, and Ensemble 24.

Ben Jacks is one of the most accomplished horn players of his generation, celebrated for his artistry & technical excellence. For 25 seasons, he served as Principal Horn with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, performing under renowned conductors Vladimir Ashkenazy, David Robertson, & Simone Young. More recently Ben has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle & Daniel Harding, the Hong Kong Philharmonic with Jaap van Zweden & the Australian World Orchestra. He’s also appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra & worked with many world leading conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Riccardo Muti & Valery Gergiev.

His performances have taken him to iconic venues such as Carnegie Hall, Musikverein Vienna, Symphony Hall Chicago & Philharmonie Berlin. As a soloist & chamber musician Ben’s recent highlights include being featured horn artist at the 2024 Australian Festival of Chamber Music. His debut album, Rhapsodie conducted by Barry Tuckwell remains a landmark recording in the horn repertoire. Ben has performed Mozart & Strauss concertos with Australia’s leading orchestras, as well as Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn, & Strings. Ben has also performed Schumann’s demanding Konzertstüch in Sydney, Perth & Hobart. As a founding member of the Australian Brass Quintet, Ben has explored & performed much of the Brass Quintet repertoire & collaborates regularly with all styles of ensembles.

Ben’s passion for education is evident in his longstanding role at the Australian National Academy of Music where he mentors the next generation of horn players. Many of his students have gone on to hold positions in prestigious orchestras in Australia, Europe & USA. His teaching philosophy emphasizes technical precision, musicality & professional readiness, supported by his extensive network of international horn experts. Previously Ben also served on the faculty of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, shaping benchmarks for brass performance education. Ben’s contributions to the world of music have been met with critical acclaim, with reviews highlighting his "beauty, ease & flawless technique" (The Horn Call, US) & "spectacular performances" (Classical CD Review, US).

Whether performing on stage, recording or teaching, Ben continues to inspire audiences & students with his dedication to excellence & his unwavering passion for music.