Carla Blackwood

Carla Blackwood maintains a diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer in Australia and internationally. She is committed to the performance and promotion of new music, historically informed performance on early instruments, and chamber music at the highest level.

On historical natural horns, Carla is Principal Horn of the Orchestra of the Antipodes (Pinchgut Opera), the Australian Haydn Ensemble, and Genesis Baroque; her 2024 performance of Julius Caesar received critical acclaim. On modern horn, she performs regularly with leading Australian ensembles including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Quercus Trio, Lyrebird Brass, Ensemble Liaison, the Australian Wind Quintet, and the Australia Ensemble, and is a frequent guest Principal Horn with symphony orchestras nationwide.

Carla is a sought-after teacher and mentor. She is Senior Lecturer in French Horn Performance and Associate Director, Individual Performance Studies, at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, and was Horn Faculty at the Australian National Academy of Music from 2021–2025.

Previously, Carla was Principal Horn of the Tiroler Symphonieorchester Innsbruck and Professor of Horn at the Tiroler Landeskonservatorium. She has appeared as guest Principal Horn with major European orchestras and has held orchestral contracts across Australia and Europe.

An active researcher, Carla recently completed her PhD, "Making the French Horn Australian."