“ …I listen in near belief as the child draws from her instrument a stream of warm pure sound that many an accomplished violinist would be hard pressed to emulate her agility on the fingerboard, the exactness of her intonation and flawless musical memory are incontrovertible evidence of an extraordinarily precocious musical gift,
Little Girl, Giant Talent…” Neville Cohn, The West Australian

Child Prodigy, Claudia Zorbas is a remarkable young violinist from Perth in Western Australia.

At just 14 years of age, she has astounded musicians, teachers and audiences across Australia and Europe with a prodigious talent far beyond her years.

Born in Brisbane in 1991, Claudia’s musical gift was almost predetermined, her Hungarian mother, a concert violinist and teacher, her Greek-born father also a musician and performer.

At 7 years, Claudia commenced study under Dr Nicole Hamill, violin lecturer at James Cook University and just ten months later she won her first competition, performing George Perlman’s Indian Concerto to an audience of 400 people.

Claudia’s winning behavior continued, often in competition with performers up to 10 years her senior and in 2002 at just 11 years, she was awarded the Kodaly Music Education Australia Award for performers under 20.

Claudia and Shlomo Mintz.

Judging that award was leading Australian composer, musician, author and academician, Larry Sitsky. Amazed by Claudia’s intonation, expression and technique, he encouraged her parents to take her to Europe to study where she could immerse herself in the culture and history of the classical masters.

Later that year, Claudia was encouraged to audition for Europe’s preeminent school for violinists, the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, and she was accepted that year. Just two weeks later she entered and won the prestigious Zathureczky Violin Competition.

Claudia’s first mentor and teacher at the Academy was acclaimed Hungarian concertmaster and violinist Andras Kiss (1943 – 2005), who declared after her audition “…she has every talent that cannot be taught…”. Now studying under distinguished soloist Eszter Perenyi, Claudia forms the 5th generation in a direct line of celebrated violin teachers and students which began with Jeno Hubay, a contemporary of Liszt himself.

In 2004 Claudia returned to Australia for her first solo concert performance at the Hale School Visiting Artists Series in Perth, as part of a program of acclaimed Australian and international artists.

The following year Claudia performed a live concert broadcast for ABC Classic FM and also appeared as a feature artist with the SBS Orchestra, performing alongside internationally renowned trumpeter James Morrison before an audience of 1500 at the Sydney Town Hall.

Since the commencement of her studies at the Franz Liszt Academy, Claudia has been featured in a number of international publications, has appeared on Greek television and performed in concert across Europe.

After being placed 2nd in the 2005 Alfredo e Vanda International Violin Competition in Italy, she toured cities in Italy, Austria and Slovenia performing in historic venues such as Teatro Maliban in Venice and Mozarteum Wiener Saal in Salzburg.

In March, she was awarded 1st place at the 3rd International George Philippe Telemann Violin Competition in Poznan, Poland and in April performed her signature piece Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen ‘Gypsy Airs’ with the Kaunas Symphony Orchestra at the 15th International Festival of Young Musicians in Lithuania.

In June, 2006, she returned to Australia for two performances at the Hale School Series and in July she performed with the SBS Symphony in Sydney.

Recently, Claudia fulfilled a long-held wish to study with world acclaimed musician/conductor and mentor Shlomo Mintz. Claudia traveled to the Keshet Eilon International Violin Master Course in Israel for 3 weeks of solo master classes with the maestro, before returning to Australia for a concert series “Claudia Zorbas and friends”.

An unaffected yet determined young woman, Claudia is unfazed by the attention, preferring to concentrate on her instrument.

‘‘I really like to show my feelings through my violin playing - like painting colors on a canvas, I am coloring the notes to express my feelings.’’ Claudia Zorbas, Violinist.