Evalyn Legried is a Brisbane-based cellist and educator. Evalyn enjoys a diverse portfolio career, teaching and performing across a variety of genres, from early music and historically informed Baroque performance to contemporary genres such as pop, pub-rock, and hip-hop.

Most recently, Evalyn has performed for Disney, National Geographic, the Queensland Ballet, Eminem, Vera Blue, The Smith Street Band, Genesis Owusu, and Hip-Hop trio Bliss n Eso. Evalyn performs regularly as principal and tutti cello with the Queensland Pops Orchestra, Queensland Festival Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, as well as in popular venues across Brisbane with her Bridgerton-Style string shows and in her role as orchestral contractor for corporate and private events.   

Career highlights also include performing the world premiere of “Close Encounters of the Third Kind - in Concert”, the Australian premiere of “Love Actually - in Concert”, appearing as soloist for Gabriel Jackson’s “To the Field of Stars” with Fusion Vocal Ensemble, as soloist for the 4MBS broadcast of “Benedictus” from Karl Jenkins “Armed Man” with the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, touring with Darren Coggan’s shows “Remember the Days of Cat Steven”, “Poems, Prayers, and Promises of John Denver” and “Like a Rhinestone Cowboy”, performing with “The Whitlam’s”, Rhonda Burchmore & Rob Mills with the Qld Pops Orchestra, and appearing as soloist for the QCGU production of ‘Elegies for Angels, Punks, and Raging Queens’.

Evalyn lectures regularly with the Cuskelly College of Music, specialising in Advanced String Orchestras and Lower Strings pedagogy. Evalyn also enjoys supporting young musicians through various engagements as a specialist consultant. In this capacity, Evalyn shares her expertise through adjudication of competitions and eisteddfods, serving on audition panels, and providing specialist guidance to youth and community organisations such as the Qld Youth Orchestras, Brisbane Regional Youth Orchestra, and regional organisations such as the Southern Downs String Ensemble.

Evalyn holds Master's degrees in both Music (Performance w/Distinction, Qld Conservatorium of Music - 2017) and Education (Secondary Music Education, QUT - 2024). Evalyn is a multi-award-winning graduate at both institutions, earning the Griffith Award for Academic Excellence in 2016 & 2017, the QUT Executive Deans’ Commendation for Academic Excellence in 2021 & 2022, the 2021 ASME Qld Award for Outstanding Music Education Graduates, and the winner of the Basil Jones Sonata Prize in 2015. In the field of Music Education, Evalyn has also achieved Levels 1 & 2 of the Australian Kodaly Certificate (Secondary), and is a Certified “Bigger Better Brains” Educator.

When Evalyn is not behind a cello or buried in a textbook, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and Professor Lola (their big, fat, fluffy cat).

PERFORMANCE QUALIFICATIONS

Master of Music Studies with Distinction - Performance, Cello / Queensland Conservatorium of Music
Graduate Certificate of Music Studies - Performance, Cello / Queensland Conservatorium of Music
Bachelor of Music / Queensland Conservatorium of Music
A.Mus.A - Cello / Australian Music Education Board

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

Master of Teaching - Secondary Music / Queensland University of Technology

Bigger Better Brains / Certified Educator

The Australian Kodaly Certificate - Secondary Classroom Music, Level 1 & 2/ Cuskelly College of Music

TESOL 100 Hour Certificate / Linguaedge

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

2015 - Basil Jones Sonata Prize - 1st Place

2016 - Griffith Award for Academic Excellence

2017 - Griffith Award for Academic Excellence

2021 - ASME Qld Award for Outstanding Music Education Graduates

(Australian Society of Music Education)

2021 - QUT Executive Deans’ Commendation for Academic Excellence

2022 - QUT Executive Deans’ Commendation for Academic Excellence