Belinda McFarlane’s violin has taken her around the world.

Born and raised in Adelaide, she’s now living in London, having fallen in love with the city after travelling there as Leader of the Australian Youth Orchestra.

McFarlane has zoomed around Europe and beyond as a Second Violin and a member of the Discovery team at the London Symphony Orchestra. She’s also a member of Fiorini – an internationally touring piano trio of Aussie-born, London-based musicans with an ear for rarely-performed repetoire.

Belinda McFarlane. Photo © Tina K Photography

McFarlane has also been a member of the Australian World Orchestra since its inception in 2011. She’s twice toured India with it, and once across the UK.

Despite it all, she still calls Australia ‘home’, and is thrilled to be returning again for the AWO’s 2026 program across 19–20 August. Chatting to Limelight from Adelaide, she unpacks her thoughts on working with the AWO, and why music education is so important.

How does it feel to be returning to Australia?

Ah, it feels great! I can never stay away from home for too long. I come back as often as I can –...