Winsome Evans is an Honorary Associate Professor in the Sydney Conservatorium of Music at the University of Sydney. She earned her Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree in composition from the University of Sydney in 1963, studying under lecturers including Peter Sculthorpe, followed by postgraduate studies and a Diploma in Performance from the NSW Conservatorium of Music. After several years teaching music in secondary schools, she joined the University of Sydney's Music Department as a tutor in 1971, advancing to senior lecturer and Associate Professor. She served as Acting Head of Department on four or five occasions, coordinated the Bachelor of Music program—once regarded as Australia's most distinguished university music degree—and co-directed the Thursday at 5:15 Concert Series along with the Department's three annual Music Festivals. Evans taught composition, music history, and historical performance practice, mentoring generations of musicians. She acted as repetiteur, musical director, and arranger for Music Department opera productions from 1969, including Orfeo, Sir John in Love, Hugh the Drover, The Rake's Progress, The Play of Daniel (1985), and The Beggar's Opera (1987).

A pioneer in early music performance and scholarship in Australia, Evans founded and directed the Renaissance Players in 1966/1967, an ensemble performing medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, and folk music with musicians, poetry readers, clowns, and dancers, touring Australia and Southeast Asia and releasing over 27 LPs and CDs, including The Sephardic Experience, Testament: Archangels' Banquet/Shepherds' Delight, 14th-century Llibre Vermell de Montserrat, and 13th-century Cantigas de Santa Maria. She co-founded Sydney Baroque in 1975 with Robert Miller and established the Baroque Guild in 1984. A versatile performer on approximately 30 instruments, including harpsichord, recorder, viola da gamba, and winds, she served as regular harpsichord soloist and continuo player for the Australian Chamber Orchestra over 14 years from its inception until 1989, performing all Bach harpsichord concerti and recording the Brandenburg Concerti. Evans collaborated with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australia Ensemble, Song Company, and artists such as James Galway and Christopher Hogwood. Her key scholarly contribution is the transcription, recomposition, and embellishment of J.S. Bach's Six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin (BWV 1001-1006) for solo harpsichord, published as a 202-page score with preface and notes by ERP Publications (Germany, 2008) and released as a double CD by Celestial Harmonies. She also completed transcriptions of Bach's Six Cello Suites (BWV 1007-1012) and Flute Partita (BWV 1013). Evans received the British Empire Medal (BEM) in 1980, the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1985, and the NSW Jaycees Award in 1980, all for services to music.

Professional Email: winsome.evans@sydney.edu.au