Molly Cob

Molly Collier-O’Boyle, also known as Molly Cob, is a musician from Meanjin/Brisbane. She spends most of her time sawing away on the viola, cursing all the while. When not screaming profanities at wooden boxes, she attempts to balance her life as a performer, collaborator, curator, and educator.

Molly studied violin with Michele Walsh at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and Adam Chalabi at the University of Queensland. She then switched to viola, studying with Caroline Henbest at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM). While at ANAM, she completed a Master of Music Research at Griffith University under the guidance of Professor Stephen Emmerson, focusing on curatorial processes centered around collaboration in creating and developing new works for the viola.

During her time at ANAM, Molly's dedication led to numerous prestigious opportunities. She became an emerging artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, an academist with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Australian World Orchestra, and a fellow at both the Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival and the International Contemporary Ensemble’s Ensemble Evolution. She also served as Principal Viola of the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO), was an artist in residence at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity alongside duo partner Liam Wooding, and was a finalist in the 2021 Freedman Classical Fellowship.

After completing her formal studies, Molly has embarked on a vibrant freelance career path. She has worked as Guest Principal, Acting Associate Principal and Acting Assistant Principal Viola with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Guest Associate Principal Viola with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Guest Assistant Principal Viola with the Auckland Philharmonia, and as Guest Principal Viola with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Victorian Opera. She performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra for their children’s show There’s a Sea in my Bedroom and regularly works with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and Omega Ensemble.

Molly’s recent highlights include premiering her project Elva—a song cycle for viola and voice in collaboration with the AYO’s Momentum Ensemble—co-founding new harp, flute, and viola trio Violets with Melina van Leeuwen and Anna Rabinowicz, co-founding and developing new ensemble ÆON with colleagues in Melbourne, and performing as a guest artist at the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival.

Outside of her musical endeavors, Molly enjoys swimming, drawing, walking her kitten Fizzy, diving into existential musings, and sharing a frothy or two with family and friends.

Molly acknowledges the Jagera and Turrbal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which she lives and works. Sovereignty was never ceded.