Henry Avila

Strings Director

Henry began his musical studies at the Juan Manuel Olivares Music School in Caracas, Venezuela. From 1983-1987 he attended courses at the Julliard School of Music in New York, where he took classes with Lewis Kaplan, Glenn Dicterow and Margaret Pardee.

In 1988 Henry won a scholarship to continue his studies in the former USSR, with Aram Shamshian (Emeritus Artist). He completed his Degree as a Violin Concert Performer, Teacher & Master of Arts. Henry was a member of the “Simon Bolivar” Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela and also played with the Caracas Philharmonic Orchestra and was First Violin with the chamber orchestra Soloists of Venezuela.

He appeared as soloist and in violin and piano recitals across the Venezuelan territory as well as in the USA, Colombia, Spain, Japan, Mongolia, Moscow and most of the former Soviet Republics such as Armenia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Georgia, etc.

Henry has also worked with eminent conductors including Eduardo Mata, Jaime Laredo, Akira Endo, Rodolfo Saglimbeni, Inocente Carreno, Jose Antonio Abreu and Alfredo Rugeles.

In 1991 Henry gave the Venezuelan Premiere of the Suite in the Old Style by the Russian composer Alfred Schnitke and the Variations on Mongolian Folk Tunes by Chulun. He also gave the first performance in many of the former Soviet Republics of the Sonata for Violin and Piano by the Venezuelan composer Angel Sauce.

Since arriving to Australia, Henry has performed at the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Town Hall, Willoughby Town Hall, City Concert Hall “Angel Place”, “Joan Sutherland” Performing Arts Centre, Mexican and Venezuelan Embassies in Canberra, Canberra “Street Theatre”, St. Mary’s Cathedral, French Alliance and Film Australia “Roxy Theatre”.

Besides his performing schedule, he also has taught at the Australian Institute of Music, Newington College, Santa Sabina College, lectured in the Post Graduate courses at the University of Western Sydney, Director of Strings of Burwood Girls High School and is in charge of the string programs conducted in various Schools in the Inner West of Sydney.

Henry directs the BNPS Strings Program and leads the Group Lessons, Training Ensemble, Intermediate Ensemble, and Concert Strings Ensemble.

CONTACT HENRY: 0416 013 370, avilahenry@hotmail.com