About
Laura Neilson (née Winter)
Laura began her musical journey by starting piano lessons at age seven. She was a quick learner and enjoyed making music, however she wanted to play something more unique that allowed her to perform in an ensemble with others. Laura started studying harp under Julie Raines at age ten and instantly fell in love!
Laura continued to learn both piano and harp side by side throughout her teenage years; at age 15 she not only passed her Grade 8 piano exam, but also began working as an orchestral harpist. She chose to pursue the harp professionally, and is incredibly grateful for the many opportunities she has received in her career. As an orchestral harpist, she has had the privilege of playing under the baton of conductors such as Benjamin Northey and Johannes Fritzsch. Other highlights have included joining Melbourne Opera for their 2022 season of Die Walküre, and playing the beautiful Compassion song cycle with Lior.
As much as Laura loves to perform in high profile settings, some of her favourite opportunities are community based. She is a passionate music teacher and enjoys working with young people to grow their love for music. Laura also regularly travels around the state to play with community orchestras.
Laura passed both her AMusA and ATCL harp exams in 2018, and graduated from the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music (Monash University) in 2019 with a Bachelor of Music, specialising in classical performance.