Artistic Director & Conductor of Adelaide Youth Orchestra

Associate Professor Keith Crellin OAM is Head of the String Department and Conductor-in-Residence at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, The University of Adelaide. As the first violist to win the ABC Young Performers Award in 1972, Keith Crellin soon established himself as one of Australia’s leading soloists and chamber music players. Having studied violin initially with Gretchen Schieblich and then Ladislav Jasek at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, he completed his tertiary studies at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music under noted pedagog Professor Jan Sedivka. He was a founding member of the Rialannah String Quartet, performed with the Petra String Quartet and was a regular member of the Australian Contemporary Music Ensemble. Subsequently he was appointed Lecturer in viola and chamber music at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, Director and Principal Conductor of the Conservatorium Orchestra and Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra.

In 1985, he became a founding member of the Australian String Quartet based in Adelaide, a position he held for sixteen years and with which he performed in many countries, travelled widely throughout Australia and made numerous recordings.

As well he has conducted concerts and recordings with the Tasmanian and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras and has been conductor of Australian Youth Orchestra’s Young Symphonists and tutor to the .AYO Young Australian Concert Artists program on a number of occasions. He has attended many National Music Camps as tutor and conductor and now divides his time between teaching, performing and conducting.

In 2003, he took up the position of artistic director and conductor of the Adelaide Youth Orchestra. In 2004 he was awarded the University of Adelaide’s Stephen Cole prize for excellence in teaching and in 2006 was appointed Adjunct Professor in Strings and Chamber Music at the Tasmanian University. In 2008 was awarded the Order of Australia medal for his contribution to music and education.