Zoe Knighton

Zoe Knighton is a founding member and Artistic Director of Flinders Quartet, one ofAustralia’s most respected chamber ensembles. Known for its dynamic performances and deep commitment to Australian music, the quartet has has commissioned over 75 new works for string quartet, reached #1 on the ARIA Core Classical chart, been nominated for numerous awards including ARIA Best Classical Album, toured four continents, mentored over 100 ensembles, and won the hearts of audiences as a vanguard ensemble of artistic integrity.
Zoe picked up the cello at age nine and never looked back. She studied with Jill Kahans, Christian Wojtowicz, Nelson Cooke, Angela Sargeant, and in Paris with Michel Strauss.
These days, she shares her experience widely as a chamber music coach and mentor,helping young musicians find their voice in ensemble playing.
As a recording artist, Zoe has released 11 albums on the MOVE label: seven with longtime duo partner Amir Farid. The pair made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2023 with a returninvitation and have built a reputation for their expressive playing and intuitive musical chemistry. Critics have described her sound as “thrilling” (Limelight) and her presence as “confident, warm, and full of finesse” (Clive O’Connell). She has worked with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria and acted as guest principal cellist of Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra on a number or occasions as well as performing numerous concertoswith Melbourne Orchestras.
Zoe is the artistic patron of Resonance String Ensemble in Woodend and plays on a modern Australian cello by Rainer Beilharz (2020) and an 18th-century English cello by Benjamin Banks.
When not performing, rehearsing or teaching, she’s keeping up with her kids’ sport and has learned to speak fluent footy and basketball as a proud supporter of Hawthorn FC, Westage Imperial, and the Footscray Hawks.