A regular visitor in his medical role to Cooma, Dr Robert Schmidli, will perfom classic pieces on the Snowy Monaro Arts Council’s grand piano on 16 June at the Anglican Parish Hall.

Dr Schmidli will present Bach’s French Suite No. 5 in G Major, two pieces by Chopin and Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes.

Arts Council president, Caroline Fox, said she was delighted to welcome Dr Schmidli back to Cooma.

“He currently practices as a specialist in endocrinology and diabetes in Canberra and practiced in Cooma for the past 25 years, so many locals will know him through his work,” she said.

“That said, he is renowned for his musical talents and we are excited to host him on 16 June, playing on the Arts Council’s grand piano.”

Dr Schmidli studied with Alice Farquhar, Iola Shelley and Johannes Giessen in New Zealand and later with Steven MacIntyre and Jean Starling in Melbourne.

He passed his LTCL and LRSM (music) diplomas in New Zealand while studying medicine.

In his first year of Medicine in Christchurch he was awarded the Union in Graduates in Music prize at Canterbury University.

During his medical studies in Dunedin he performed on national and local radio.

He has played works including the Liszt second piano concerto and the Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini with orchestras in New Zealand and Australia.

Dr Schmidli has performed with a number of international artists including David Pereira, Jack Glatzer and George Zukerman.

He moved to Melbourne in 1991 and undertook PhD studies at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

Since arriving in Canberra in 1996 he has appeared as a soloist, accompanist and chamber music player.

Dr Schmidli is a Fellow of the Wesley Music Centre.