Bourby Webster

Background

About Bourby Webster

Bourby is my musician. My name is Brian, and I am Bourby's viola. We've been together since she was 15 years old. We've been on stages across the world, and I've watched Bourby's career develop. Thankfully I've always been a part of that journey. I know her better than anyone, so when she asked me to write her profile, I didn't hesitate. So, here goes: Bourby is a visionary rule breaker, futurist and passionate advocate of arts and culture. She is also an experienced entrepreneur, CEO, concert promoter, creative director, business developer, professional musician, mentor and consultant. She is best-known for founding the ground-breaking Perth Symphony Orchestra (PSO) one of Western Australia’s largest arts companies. Bourby worked as a performer playing me, and in elite sport, accounting, television, engineering, consulting, and the arts in business development roles prior to starting the orchestra. She is passionate about community and the power of music and arts to connect people in extraordinary ways on a huge scale. Her music production companies, North Street Music and The RARE Company, create, produce and promote, small and large-scale concerts and productions in Australia and across the world. Bourby is passionate about storytelling and is sought after for her ground-breaking creativity and imagination. She is in demand as a speaker and presenter. Her ground-breaking Arts@Work program transforms leadership thinking to embed creativity in the workplace at every level. Bourby has an MBA from UWA, an MA in music from Oxford University, and is a graduate of the Royal College of Music (holding an advanced diploma of performance in viola - playing me!). In 2022 she was named in Business News’ Power 500 list and has been a winner of a Business News 40 Under 40 award for Entrepreneurs and a finalist in the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year Awards (WA). In 2019 she was named Western Australian of the Year (Arts & Culture). We were founding members of the UK-based electric string quartet ‘bond’ signed to Universal Music Group (well, she couldn't have got a record deal without me). She is a medal-winning, international-level coxswain and was the first female coxswain in 106 years of the WA Kings Cup State Rowing Crew in 2002. She is the current cox of the Black Swans rowing crew, which comprises former Olympic and world champion medallists. Her passion is cooking (she thinks Yotam Ottolenghi is God) and her next concert featuring me (!) is always to be found on her "bourby webster business" Facebook page - so come see us in action.