Nikki Divall was a core member of the Australian Chamber Orchestra from 2005 to 2020. A graduate of the Canberra School of Music, she left Australia in 1992 to begin graduate studies at the University of North Texas before entering the Emerson Quartet Graduate String Quartet program at the Hartt School of Music as a member of the Canberra String Quartet. Following completion of that program, she received her Masters from the University of Michigan. A prizewinner in the 1997 Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, Nikki has performed at numerous festivals in the US. She has appeared as guest violist with the St Petersburg String Quartet, the Los Angeles Piano Quartet, and the American String Quartet. She has held the position of Principal Viola with the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Cleveland-San Jose Ballet, the Cleveland Opera, and Sydney Philharmonia. She has appeared as Guest Principal with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Nikki is currently Principal Viola of Cleveland’s baroque ensemble, Apollo’s Fire. During her tenure at the ACO, Nikki was deeply involved in the education arm of the company as mentor and coach for the ACO Academy (a string orchestra and chamber music program for high school aged string players) and for the Emerging Artist Program (for college and graduate level string players). Nikki has given masterclasses at the Manhattan School of Music, the University of Michigan, the Australian National Academy of Music, Melbourne University, and Bard College.
Mayfest 