Oboe and Cor Anglais
An Associate of the Royal Academy of Music since 1997, Celia Craig was awarded Exhibitions, Craxton Chamber Music Prize, Advanced and Licentiate Diploma by the UK’s oldest music conservatoire.
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Trained by renowned Hungarian educator, Bela de Csillery (pupil of Kodaly and Hindemith), Scholar at The Purcell School and winner of Music for Youth national Oboe Prize, Celia was personally invited by the London Symphony Orchestra to the 1990 Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo for tuition with Leonard Bernstein.
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Resident Artist for National Trust of South Australia, Celia now produces chamber concerts in exquisite venues and bespoke concerts to order for private commissioners using a network of elite local musicians. She is a Business SA Encore Entrepreneur.
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“Classical Music has been defined in a very narrow band. I believe that live music should be fun and engaging for all. Celia proposes a new brand awareness which could shape-shift the audience…”
– Margaret Lehmann AM
Celia is a visiting Lecturer in Oboe at the Australian National University in Canberra. Her primary education program for Musica Viva in Schools, ‘Colours of Home’ with electric guitarist Caspar Hawksley, exploring emotions through improvisation, tours to primary schools nationally, inspired by her lifetime experience of synesthesia (involuntary mixing of colour and sound).
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In 2022 Celia gave Australian premieres of Oboe Concerti by Jennifer Higdon (US) and Connor Fogarty (Aus), a newly commissioned Trio by Joe Chindamo, and founded a unique concert series. Exclusive Musical Soirees are the premium offering at the new North Adelaide Baroque Hall with her Tarrawatta Trio featuring pianist Michael Ierace and cellist Thomas Marlin.
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As an elite orchestral player Celia toured to five continents, was elected Chairman of London’s BBC Symphony Orchestra working with artists such as Adams, Boulez, Berio, Haitink, Sir Andrew Davis, and recording at Abbey Road Studios with London Symphony Orchestra.
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Principal guest at Sydney Symphony, Australian Opera, Melbourne Symphony, New Zealand Symphony, Tasmanian Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic, Celia was Principal Oboe of Adelaide Symphony Orchestra 2011- 2018. Master of HM The Kings Music, Judith Weir CBE dedicated her Oboe Concerto in 2018, co-commissioned by Adelaide, Tasmanian and West Australian Symphony Orchestras.
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Celia has coached emerging elite soloists at TALIS Festival in Sarajevo and at South America’s largest youth music festival, Campos de Jordao, Sao Paolo, 2019.
“Celia is a rare talent who fortunately chose to live and work in Adelaide. As Australia’s UNESCO City of Music we need to nurture, celebrate and support her”
– The Hon. Steven Marshall, MP, former Premier of South Australia
​She adjudicated for BBC Young Musician, 5MBSFM Young Virtuoso Award, Gillet/Fox International Oboe Competition in Tokyo, lectured at various conservatoriums including Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, Singapore, Royal College of Music, London, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and taught oboe at Seymour College, Saint Peters School, Sydney Grammar School, Sherborne School, Dorset.
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“Celia Craig… a talented musician... with a great vision for classical music... this innovative approach of using 21st-century technology to enhance our cultural heritage...”
– Hon. Anne Levy, AO, former Minister for the Arts, SA, Chevalier de la Legion D’Honneur
In 2020, Arts South Australia awarded Celia a prestigious Fellowship ‘Exploring New Artistic Directions’ mentored by Anthony Steel AO, former Director of Adelaide Festival.
A Howarth of London Artist, Celia is also a global Ambassador for Kyron Audio, creators of the world’s finest home music systems.
As Creative Director of Artaria, recording chamber music in South Australia, Celia won the Arts Award 2020 for Women in Innovation in South Australia and will release two new recordings in 2023, including Boccherini chamber music with acclaimed musicians led by flautist Sally Walker.
In 2023 Celia performs with virtuoso organist Thomas Trotter in UK and Australia, is featured as soloist with Thai Philharmonic Orchestra premiering a new Concerto by Narong Prangcharoen and presents new works by Anne Cawrse and Katia Beaugais.
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