Cathy Blake
Cathy has been teaching classical violin and viola in the City of Greater Geelong area since 1988. Growing up in a musical family, she has carried on the tradition by playing music with her own children. With 40 years of experience performing, Cathy has played in several ensembles, including the Chamber Orchestra of Geelong, St Paul’s Occasional Orchestra, and the Geelong Symphony Orchestra.
In 2000, Cathy formed the Classically Celtic trio with her daughters Kim and Michelle Doyle. Together, they provided music for hundreds of weddings and events over two decades. In 2014, Cathy and her family were awarded the "Faces of the Festival" by the National Celtic Festival for their contribution and support of the traditional folk music scene.
Cathy has been a tutor and conductor at the Geelong Summer Music Camp since 1991 and a fiddle tutor at Lake School of Celtic Music Song & Dance since 2015. She enjoys working with string orchestras and has directed award-winning ensembles at the Royal South Street Competition and the Victorian School Music Festival for the past 14 years.
Currently, Cathy has a private teaching studio at her home in Geelong and regularly performs with the Melbourne Scottish Fiddle Club.
Catie Alison
Catie is a talented cellist and singer/songwriter hailing from Geelong. Growing up in a family of classical string players, she has pursued music passionately throughout her life. By the age of 15, Catie had already toured internationally twice as a folk cellist with various groups, and recorded an album with the trio 'The Neon Effect'.
She attended Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School from 2015-2017, where she studied cello, and has an Advanced Diploma in Music Industry and Performance. Catie has received numerous awards over the years, including 1st place for solo cello at the 2014 Royal South Street Eisteddfod.
Catie has performed at weddings, corporate functions, and funerals since the age of 12. She has also taught workshops in Scotland and tutored strings at Rosewood Music Camp with her mother, Cathy, as well as Geelong Summer Music Camp.
In 2020, Catie released her debut single and later recorded an EP. She was a selected finalist for the Folk Alliance Australia Youth Award in 2019 and won the Peter Daly Excellence in Celtic Music award at the National Folk Festival the same year as part of the group 'AMBER'. In 2018, 'AMBER' received the Stars on the Lake award from the Lake School of Celtic Music and Dance in Koroit, Victoria.
(photography by Kim Patrick callow)