Willem van der Vis – Music Director / Conductor Emeritus

Willem van der Vis has been Music Director of the Maroondah Symphony Orchestra for 29 years. During this time he greatly developed the orchestra’s skills and expanded its repertoire and in doing so has enhanced the Orchestra’s reputation within the community.

New Zealand born Willem gained a BSc (Hons) in physics before he decided to focus on his real passion, which was music. Soon he was playing principal cello with the Scolar Musica (New Zealand Symphony Training Orchestra) and the Dunedin Sinfonia.

In 1979 he moved to Australia, where he became a member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra for 7 years. In addition he has played with Orchestra Victoria and the New Zealand, Tasmanian and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras.  As an orchestral cellist, he was always fascinated by how a conductor interacted with and communicated music to an orchestra and this led him to complete his BMus (conducting) at the WAAPA  and the VCA (Robert Rosen). Conducting studies followed in Moscow, England and the Czech Republic. He enjoyed further studies with Professor John Hopkins in Melbourne.

Willem has conducted the Stonnington, Heidelberg, New Monash, Ballarat and Derwent (Hobart) Symphony Orchestras as well as the Maroondah Symphony Orchestra.  In addition, he has conducted the Murray Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra and Choral Society (Albury, NSW), Two Murray River “Three Choirs” Festivals, Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra, Margaret Sutherland Strings as well as many stage shows.

Every year Willem conducts at orchestral workshops and music camps around Australia. Willem is also in demand as an adjudicator and holds workshops in orchestral conducting.