The Australian String Academy (ASA) is an arts education organisation which runs programs for string players from Australia and around the world. It was founded in 2004 by the violin professor Peter Zhang. The Honorary Artistic Director is Australian-born Charmian Gadd.
The ASA is not a full-time academy or music school in itself, but is an educational arts body which runs various programs during the year. Its main event, the international Summer School, was modelled after the much older Meadowmount School in New York State, founded by Ivan Galamian. The Meadowmount School of Music, founded in 1944 by Ivan Galamian, is a 7-week summer school in Westport NY in Upstate New York for accomplished young Ivan Alexander Galamian ( January 23, 1903 &ndash April 14, 1981) was the most influential Violin teacher of the Twentieth century It is a 2-week program for young violinists, violists, cellists, bassists, and pianists participating in solo and chamber music activities.
The ASA aims at bringing new opportunities to young string players in Australia, and is also open to international students. The faculty has included many distinguished pedagogues and artists, including Paul Ellison, Robert Masters, Charles Avsharian, Owen Carman, Gerardo Ribeiro, Patricia McCarty, and Uzi Wiesel. Paul Ellison (born October 17, 1941) is co-principal bass at the Aspen and Grand Teton Festivals and is Professor of Double Bass at Rice University's Shepherd Professor Gerardo Ribeiro (b 1950 Oporto Portugal) a world renowned concert violinist had taught at numerous Universities after studies at the Juilliard School