Associate Professor Keith Crellin

Associate Professor Keith Crellin OAM held the position of head of the String Department and conductor in residence at the Elder Conservatorium of Music at the University of Adelaide from 2001 – 2016. 

As the first violist to win the ABC Young Performers Award in 1972, Keith Crellin soon established himself as one of Australia’s leading soloists and chamber music players. Having studied violin initially with Gretchen Schieblich, and then Ladislav Jasek at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, he completed his tertiary studies at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music under noted pedagog Professor Jan Sedivka. 

In 1974 he was appointed Lecturer in Viola and Chamber Music at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, Director and Principal Conductor of the Conservatorium Orchestra and Artistic Director and chief conductor of the Tasmanian Youth Orchestra. 

In 1985, he became a founding member of the Australian String Quartet based in Adelaide, a position he held for sixteen years and with which he performed 

in many countries, travelled widely throughout Australia and made numerous recordings. 

In 2002, he took up the position of Artistic Director and conductor of the Adelaide Youth Orchestra a position he retains to this day. In 2008 he was awarded the Order of Australia medal for his contribution to music and education. 

He retired from his position at the University of Adelaide in 2016 in order to concentrate more fully on his role as Artistic Director of the Adelaide Youth Orchestra as well as pursuing further teaching, performing, conducting and composing.