About AMQ
The Alma Moodie Quartet, named after the notable Australian violinist, performs music from Beethoven, Mozart, and early 20th-century composers.
Comprising soloists Kristian Winther and Anna da Silva Chen (violins), James Wannan (viola), and Miles Mullins-Chivers (cello), the quartet is dedicated to chamber music. They perform at prestigious venues such as the Canberra International Music Festival and the Tasmanian Chamber Music Festival.
Recent highlights include concerts at Musica Viva and the Melbourne Recital Centre, along with collaborations with guest artists like Daniel de Borah and Edward Neeman.
Click each photo for individual bio
Kristian Winther violin
Kristian Winther is an acclaimed violinist known for his virtuosic solo performances and dynamic chamber music. He has performed with prominent orchestras such as the Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, and collaborated with renowned conductors.
As a guest concertmaster, he has led various orchestras and was a member of the award-winning TinAlley String Quartet. Kristian is committed to new music, premiering works by contemporary composers and performing significant pieces like Bach’s sonatas and Schumann's quartets.
He plays a 1859 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin, generously loaned from the UKARIA Cultural Centre.
© 2025 Alma Moodie Quartet
Anna da Silva Chen violin
Anna da Silva Chen is a renowned Australian violinist celebrated for her skill in solo, chamber, and orchestral performances. She has played with major orchestras like the Australian Chamber Orchestra, premiering Max Reger’s Violin Concerto in Australia in 2024, and has performed internationally in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy.
As a chamber musician, Anna co-leads the Alma Moodie Quartet and joined the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 2025. She has appeared with various ensembles and at music festivals. By age 15, Anna had won prestigious competitions, including the Kendall National Violin Competition.
Born in Sydney and raised in Wollongong, Anna began violin lessons at 8 and regularly plays on the South Coast. Her mentors have included Sarah Hindson and Prof Mihaela Martin.
© 2025 Alma Moodie Quartet
James Wannan viola
Violist James Wannan is a member of Southern Cross Soloists and an Artistic Associate of Sydney Chamber Opera, teaching at the Sydney Conservatorium’s Rising Stars program.
He studied in Australia and Vienna, exploring music on various instruments. He has performed in festivals, including solos in Elliott Gyger's 'Fly Away Peter' and Dusapin's 'Passion.' As a viola d’amore soloist, her champions diverse repertoire and inspires new works, including a concerto by Jack Symonds.
James has collaborated with Mary Finsterer on award-winning pieces and performed with major Australian orchestras.
© 2025 Alma Moodie Quartet
Miles Mullin-Chivers cello
Miles started cello lessons at 4 with Takao Mizushima. He joined the Rising Stars program and studied under Susan Blake and Julian Smiles, earning a Bachelor of Music Performance with First Class Honours from the Sydney Conservatorium at 19.
He learned from many musicians and performed at notable events with the Tarsus Chamber Collective and Alma Moodie Quartet. In 2019, he won 1st prize at the Gisborne International Music Competition. Miles worked with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Opera Australia Orchestra, was a Sydney Symphony Fellow, and will be the Amsterdam Sinfonietta Academist in 2024.
He is completing a Master's at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
© 2025 Alma Moodie Quartet