I learned violin from some of the greatest teachers in Australia, Goetz Richter and Felicity Tsai, both of whom are members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and co-ordinators / professors at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. With regimented practice routines, AMEB exams & years spent in youth orchestras , Felicity worked me towards securing a place at the highly selective Sydney Conservatorium of Music High School. From there I was handed over to Goetz, a master of violin technique and pedagogy, who refined my playing to AMEB AMusA level.
All was in place for me to pursue a career in classical music, however – when I was 15 I discovered my love for songwriting. After learning I could run violin through looping pedals, I became fiercely enamoured with learning electronic music production.
I put my first few demos on Soundcloud under the moniker Lupa J and – to my total bewilderment – was immediately discovered & praised by an array of international music publications. I went on to be nominated as a finalist in Triple J’s Unearthed High competition for an unprecedented two years running, and by the time I graduated high school in 2015 had signed with a booking agency who secured me support slots on national tours with the likes of Grimes, Sarah Blasko, Tegan and Sara & Alice Glass.
I completed my violin studies with high distinctions at the Conservatorium and composed a contemporary classical piece that was selected to be performed at Encore at the Opera House, but chose to put everything into Lupa J project from that point onwards. I’ve never stopped performing with violin – I just now run it through delay, reverb, & distortion pedals.
Since 2017, I’ve run electronic production workshops for the likes of Ableton, Box Hill Institute, Darebin Youth Centre, Music NSW and New Age Noise Collective. I’m passionate about making electronic music more accessible for women, queer and trans people.
I now also teach violin at School of Loving Music in North Melbourne, and feel enraptured by the possibilities of nurturing a relationship between student and instrument that is rewarding, fun, and most importantly: guided by the student.