St Jude's Bowral - Emerging Artist Concert Series 2024

EMERGING CONCERT ARTIST SERIES 5 'Outstanding young musicians creating memorable musical experiences for the community'. 

Season five presents new faces and follows the journey of two of our previous artists, Michael de Huy and Luke Bowen. 

Our July concerts offer an interlude from our emerging artist program. In Bowral, we present mezzo-soprano Elisabeth Cooper with John Martin, and in Wollongong, we feature Eric Avery, an established international artist, who we welcome as part of the NAIDOC WEEK celebration at Wollongong Art Gallery. Thank you to CultureBank Wollongong, which generously supported this concert. 

We respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians Gundungurra and Tharawal people, Elders past and present, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Bowral Wed 3 July at 1:15 pm

MYSTIQUE OF LOVE:  A Kaleidoscope of Art Songs | Elisabeth Cooper mezzo-soprano with John Martin piano

Music by Wittman & Shaiman Esther Rofe, Calvin Bowman, John Martin, Benjamin Britten Arr. Gabriel Faure,s Eric Satie,  Francis Poulenc, 

Elizabeth Cooper is a Sydney-based mezzo-soprano with a strong passion for the stage and bringing people together through music. As a 2022 and 2023 Young Artist with Pacific Opera, Libby performed some roles with the company across these seasons, including Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Adina (L'elisir d'amore), Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas) and Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte). Most recently, she returned to perform with Jane Rutter and John Martin for a second year for their Live at Lunch series and appeared with the Willoughby Symphony Orchestra as a soloist at their Last Night of the Proms. Elizabeth holds a Master of Music (Operatic Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she performed and was supported by the Olive Margaret Stewart Bequest. Elizabeth is passionate about Oratorio and has performed solo in several works, including Handel's L'allegro, Vivaldi's Magnificat and Gloria, Mendelssohn's Elijah and Fauré's Requiem. Other performance highlights for Elizabeth include chorus work with Opera Australia for their 2024 production of Il Trittico, performances with the charitable opera company The Cooperative as Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) and Soprano Soloist (Émilie), as well as performing the role of First Lady (Die Zauberflöte) for the Lyric Opera Studio in Weimar. She aspires to a long future of bringing classical music to the masses and, of course, having a lot of fun doing it!

John Martin's work is familiar to concertgoers and listeners of Australia's classical radio networks. He has been featured on ABC Classic FM's Drive Time segment "On the Verandah",   which is frequently broadcast. In addition, his 2013 release on the Wirripang label "The Ring of New Bells" — a collection of Miriam Hyde's piano works — were extensively broadcast. In addition, he has frequently partnered with many of Australia's well-known classical singers and instrumentalists, including Peter Cousens, David Hobson, Marina Prior, Stuart Maunder, Greta Bradman, Yvonne Kenny, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, gypsy-jazz violinist Ian Cooper, Dominica Matthews, and Judith Rough. John has been a frequent adjudicator for music competitions, and his guidance and mentoring abilities mean that he is also kept busy working with aspiring young performers, something very close to his heart! John is also gaining a reputation as a fine composer, having published 60 works.

Bowral Wed 7 August at 1:15 pm 

ORIGINS: Baroque Tales & Improvisation | Alexei Caulfield recorder | Liam Green harpsichord/organ | Klara Decker-Stewart violin | Music by Vivaldi, Teleman, Bach and more. 

From Goulburn, Alexei Caulfield has lived in the bush his whole life. He grew up with access to lots of space and silence, going on walks to clear his head. Since he began playing the recorder eight years ago, he has sought performance after performance to share his love of the instrument and develop his skills. While COVID-19 limited live performances, Alexie found multiple groups to perform with through the internet, a testament to his passion and dedication for the recorder. Classical Coordinator at the Australian Institute of Music and Sydney Conservatorium of Music, his teacher Hans-Deiter Michatz believes: 'Alexei is a naturally gifted performer with a genuine interest in the recorder. His performances reveal technical proficiency and a true passion for investigations into historical and contemporary styles and practices. While only halfway into his degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, he is already recognised as a leading musician in his generation.'

Liam Green discovered the harpsichord while still a student at Sydney's Conservatorium High School and has pursued studies in both voice and keyboard simultaneously. As a harpsichordist, he has performed with Bach Akademie Australia and regularly collaborates with students at the Sydney Conservatorium, where he is currently completing a Bachelor of Music. He is the 2024 Continuo Fellow for Pinchgut Opera of which he says, 'As a singer and harpsichordist, I believe that tasteful continuo playing is far more than just a set of chords, and I am excited to be uncovering the secrets of this art form under the guidance of Erin Helyard and the wonderful singers.'

'Liam Green is one of the most talented and multi-skilled young musicians I know, equally proficient as a keyboardist and vocalist. He has a natural intelligence and aptitude for early music and improvisation'' Erin Helyard, harpsichordist, conductor, and Artistic Director of the Pinchgut Opera and the Orchestra of the Antipodes (Sydney)

Klara Decker-Stewart studies a Bachelor of Music Performance and Medicinal Chemistry at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Sydney University. Her violin studies began at age 5 with Yasuki Nakamura in the Suzuki Method. She graduated from the Conservatorium High School in 2021 and is now in the studio of Australian pedagogue Janet Davies.

Klara is the 2024 Concertmaster of The Sydney Youth Orchestra 2024 and has played in programs with the Australian Youth Orchestra and Sydney Conservatorium Orchestra. She is passionate about chamber music and regularly performs in chamber ensembles. She aspires to study music in Germany. In her spare time, Klara enjoys exploring the outdoors.

Bowral Wed 4 September at 1:15 pm 

ENTWINED: Danza & Ballads |Michael de Huy, piano | Music by  Vine, Messiaen, Albeniz, Scarlatti, Soler, Chopin, Beethoven, Turina and Scriabin

Michael performed in September 2023, and since then, he has won the Sydney Conservatorium of Music concerto competition; more recently, he has been selected as the youngest competitor in the National Piano Awards 2024. Our scheduled artist for September had to withdraw due to being awarded a scholarship to study in England; this is timely for Michael, who will use the performance opportunity to help prepare for the National Piano Awards. He will perform different programs in Bowral and Wollongong drawn from the repertoire he will present for the next phase of the National Piano Award. Composers on his list include  Vine, Messiaen, Albeniz, Scarlatti, Soler, Chopin, Beethoven, Turina and Scriabin. Michael has also been awarded travel scholarships for the 3rd year and will spend several winter months studying and competing in Europe. 

Bowral Wed 2 October at 1:15 pm 

 THE QUIET FLAME: Influences of Frederick Delius | Beverly Kwan violin Ziv Pinco piano/composer |Music by Beethoven, Vieuxtemps, Delius and Pinco

Beverly Kwanis is originally from Western Australia and is a third-year violinist at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying under the tutelage of Ole Böhn and, previously, Alice Waten. She has been a finalist and semi-finalist in several state and national competitions. This year, Beverly will be a scholarship student at the 45th Kirishima International Music Festival Masterclasses with Akiko Tatsumi, and her quartet received the Hendersons Travellers Scholarship to study at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland with Johannes Meissl and Pekka Kauppinen. She has participated in masterclasses with esteemed musicians such as Andrew Haveron, Karl Heinrich Niebuhr and Dominika Falger. Beverly has played in many Australian Youth Orchestra programs, with the Perth Symphony Orchestra, and was part of the WA Youth Orchestras throughout primary and high school. In 2022, she was Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra Europe Tour, and this year, she was associate concertmaster of the Sydney Conservatorium symphony and string orchestras. 'It is an amazing opportunity to curate a recital program for two concerts in regional NSW. One of the highlights of our program is the Deliues Sonata'. 

Ziv Pinco is a pianist and composer based in Sydney, studying under Clemens Leske and Daniel Rojas at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Ziv began composing and playing piano early, performing in venues such as the Sydney Opera House and the Chatswood Concourse. Ziv has performed extensively in Classical and Collaborative Piano, Jazz, Opera, Rock/Pop and Musical Theatre, working as an accompanist and a show pianist for several artists and theatre companies around Sydney. Ziv has demonstrated his unique talent in musical composition by composing the music for pantomimes and plays produced by musical societies such as MUSE, NUTZ, and SUDS, scoring student films, and occasionally composing music for the concert hall. 

Ziv provides insight into his composition process, 'I am always searching for a good melody, and so that is my starting point, but sometimes I can see musical shapes in my head without necessarily hearing all the notes; I write down these shapes on paper and then figure out the rhythms and notes later. From there, it is just a matter of pulling the different musical ideas together into a coherent structure that creates a piece of music.'

Bowral Wed 6 November at 1:15 pm 

 SOUNDS OF REVOLUTION  Luke Bowen piano, Ilona Gray flute, Frances Gray clarinet | Music by  Beethoven, Brahms, Liszt, Schubert & Schumann

Based in Shoalhaven, Luke Bowen is an active performer in the local and broader music scenes. He achieved his Licentiate in Music with distinction at the age of 15 and is a frequent recitalist at St.Jude's, where he performs a wide range of repertoire to the delight of local audiences. Luke has appeared as a soloist with the Highlands Sinfonia (2022) and more recently performed Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Southern Highlands Symphony Orchestra. In March 2023, Luke appeared in St.Jude'ssEmeJude'sArtistt Series, where he performed concerts with violinist Cedar Newman in Bowral and Wollongong.

In addition to his involvement in the Highlands, Luke has performed extensively in the Shoalhaven and Illawarra regions. He has appeared twice in the recital series for Music Shoalhaven, and 2022 and 2024, he presented concerts for the Gerringong Music Club. More recently, Luke joined the Highlands Music Collective in their series Vienna Gold, performing chamber works by Mozart, Schubert and Australian composer Robert Constable alongside violinist Myee Clohessy, cellist William Howard and violist Patrick Brearly.

Luke was a finalist in the Australia-wide Theme & Variations Foundation competition for pianists (2021), and in 2023, he won the Eva Pascoe Award for emerging artists. Luke has also appeared as a guest soloist with the Shoalhaven Lydian Singers (2023), Bundanon Trust (2017) and international tenor John MacNally on his 2016 Australian tour. In 2021, Luke earned a diploma in music from the University of New England and is now studying science at UNE and piano privately under Professor Robert Constable AM. Luke is thrilled to return to perform in the 2024 Emerging Artists Series and curate a chamber music program. 

Ilona Gray moved from England to Australia in 2017, where she has since been an active member of the Shoalhaven music community. She began playing the piano at age 6 and flute at age 11, and she achieved her Associate Diploma in Music in 2021.

She has played with the Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra, Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Milton Town Band, Bateman's Bay Pipe Band and Millennium Marching Band and was accepted to play in the Australian Youth Orchestra Program. With these ensembles, she has played at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, NSW Southern Stars, and the NSW School Spectacular within these ensembles.

In 2022, she performed as a featured artist in Southern Stars, presented a recital alongside Frances in St. Martins Ulladulla, and was nominated for HSC Encore. Ilona has since begun studying for a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) at the University of New South Wales but maintains her interest in music. In her first year at university, she performed alongside international flautist Ana De la Vega, opening Canberra'ss Snow Centre. She continues to play in ensembles such as the UNSW Wind Symphony. 

Frances Gray is a first-year student studying for a Bachelor of Music Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Frances achieved her Associate Diploma in Music for clarinet in 2022. Frances studied under David Shepherd and is now in the studio of Frank Celata at the Sydney Conservatorium. Since attending the Conservatorium, she has performed in the Conservatorium's Wind Symphony with conductor Joanne Heaton and the Conservatorium regional choir tour with conductor Elizabeth Scott.

Previously, Frances performed in many musical ensembles in Sydney and Shoalhaven, such as the Milton Town Band, Shoalhaven Youth Orchestra, and Bateman's Bay Pipe Band. She played in the Sydney Youth Orchestra's Wind Ensemble in 2022, the NSW Pulse Alive Orchestra in 2022, the NSW Southern Stars Orchestra in 2022, the NSW Millennium Marching Band in 2019, the NSW Public Schools Junior Wind Ensemble in 2019, and the Albatross Musical Theatre Company's 'Wicked' in 2019.

Frances has participated in the Shoalhaven Eisteddfods for the last five years and most recently won the Open Brass and Woodwind section. She also won the Rotary Scholarship in 2022 and was invited to perform for the Berry Music Society in 2023. Frances has also twice won the Mollymook Lions Club Scholarship alongside her sister, IIona.

Bowral Wed 4 Dec at 1:15 pm 

THE ROLES I'LL NEVER PLAY Cabaret | Molly Stewart voice (Wollongong) Bradley Gilchrist piano | Music by Lloyd Webber/ Rice Minchin Richmond/Nell Benjamin Kerrigan/Lowdermilk & Sondheim... | 

Originally from Wollongong, Molly Stewart is a Sydney-based performer undertaking a Bachelor of Music Performance (Music Theatre) at the Sydney Conservatorium. She also received a Diploma in Musical Theatre from The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2020. She recently made her Hayes Theatre debut playing Mrs Segstrom in A Little Night Music and later joined the ensemble for An Evening With. In 2018, Molly was honoured to be selected as one of the Top 30 Semi-Finalists for the ‘Rob Guest Endowment Award’. Molly graduated high school, having ranked first in Music and Drama, and was a selected performer in Encore for her elective Music program. Her theatre credits include Cathy in The Last Five Years, Heather McNamara in Heathers, Hannah/Others in Puffs (Rising Arts), Rona in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Crystal Clear), Vivienne in Legally Blonde, Jan in Grease (So Popera), Sophie in Mamma Mia!, Rose in Dogfight, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Arcadians) and received CAT Awards for her performances as Elphaba in Wicked (AMTC) and Little Red Riding Hood in Into The Woods (So Popera).

Bradley Gilchrist has numerous concerto performances, including the Khachaturian Concerto with the WA Symphony Orchestra, the Grieg Concerto with the Slovakia Philharmonic Orchestra and Beethoven's First and Second Concertos with the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra. In addition, Bradley has given solo and chamber music recitals across Australia, South Korea, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom. Bradley has specialised in piano trio, flute, and piano duo repertoire and is a repetiteur for many of Sydney's chamber opera companies. Bradley is renowned for his generosity in mentoring emerging artists, especially vocalists. Because of his ability to encourage and support young artists in developing their artistic voice, he is a sought-after collaborative artist by all instrumentalists.