Cellist Eliza Sdraulig is getting used to being asked whether she and composer Harry Sdraulig are siblings.

“As Harry’s career builds momentum, there’s always people asking me if I’m his sister, which is quite funny and really nice,” she says.

And it works both ways. When Harry was in Hobart recently to watch the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra play his work Torrent, several of the young string players wanted to know if he was Eliza’s brother.

For the record, they are brother and sister, and immensely proud of each other – with good reason.

Harry and Eliza Sdraulig pose together, smiling.

Harry and Eliza Sdraulig. Photo supplied

A prolific and exciting young composer, Harry Sdraulig’s star is on the rise, thanks to a string of well-received commissions and performances. His credits include his 2020 Fantasia on Waltzing Matilda for cello and piano, commissioned by Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott, and released on Sony Classical.

In February this year, the Australian Chamber Orchestra premiered his work Slanted – and, by happy coincidence, Eliza was performing in the cello section. In his review...