A new year brings new musicians to our fold, replenishing and reinvigorating our ever-evolving Orchestra. Joining are three new musicians - welcome to the MSO family!

Anna Skálová

Section First Violin

Czech-born violinist Anna studied at the Prague Conservatory. Her primary teachers included Jaime Laredo, Stephen Shipps and Jaroslav Foltýn. Prior to joining the MSO, Anna was a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the San Diego Symphony.

A well-travelled musician, she has served as concertmaster of the New York String Orchestra, Michigan Philharmonic, University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, Indiana University Orchestra and also participated in the Britten-Pears Orchestra (UK). Anna appeared as a soloist with the University of Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra and was a featured soloist in the 8th Emirates International Peace Music Festival in Dubai.

Aidan Filshie

Section Viola

Aidan received his Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium in 2021, where he studied with Roger Benedict. He’s performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, and has also appeared as a soloist in the premiere of a double concerto by Richard Mills AO. He was part of the Sydney Symphony Fellowship program in 2023.

Aidan enjoys creating new music and in 2022, he released his debut EP, Summit, which includes three works for viola and piano in collaboration with long-time friend, Patrick Jaffe.

Matthew Thomas

Principal Timpani

Matthew grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast in America. He studied primarily in New York at the Eastman and Juilliard Schools before receiving a scholarship to take timpani lessons at the University of the Arts in Berlin.

He was an apprentice with the Brandenburger Symphoniker for two seasons before working with the Thüringen Philharmonie for one year as Principal Timpanist. He then served as Section Principal Timpanist with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra for eight seasons in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.