Open Music Academy Teaching Staff

Timothy Frahn

Trumpet

Timothy Frahn commenced study of the trumpet in 1996. Involvement in primary and secondary school ensembles, extensive music education and competition successes led him to further studies in brass performance.

A graduate of the Elder Conservatorium, studying trumpet performance with James Dempsey and Robin Finlay; and conducting with Carl Crossin OAM, Keith Crellin OAM and Dr Luke Dollman, Tim has established himself as a highly sought-after performer and conductor. He has performed with the Australian Youth Orchestra, Australian Brass Quintet, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Black Dyke (England), and has studied at the Australian National Academy of Music.

In 2012, he became the founding President of Adelaide Wind Orchestra, an ensemble dedicated to premiering and commissioning new wind band repertoire focussing on Australian composers, and providing performance opportunities for the finest wind players in South Australia.

He now divides his professional time between teaching, performing regularly with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Concert Orchestra, and Adelaide Wind Orchestra, tutoring with Adelaide Youth Orchestras, and conducting various ensembles. He was appointed Musical Director of A-Grade brass Kensington and Norwood Brass Band in 2019, and continues his love for making quality music with friends and colleagues.

In his spare time, he can be found walking the puppy with headphones listening to jazz since “he never gets to play jazz”, gardening with his numerous chickens, cycling of the push and motor variety, exploring orchestral recordings, and enjoys a good game of chess.

Jamie Adam

Jamie completed his studies with a first class Honours Music degree under the guidance of Jim Bailey at the Elder Conservatorium of Music.

From drumming with Jessica Mauboy to the symphonies of Gustav Mahler, Jamie has proven to be one of the country's top percussionists by way of winning awards such as the Australian Marimba Competition, David Galliver Memorial Award, John "Slick" Osborne scholarship and the Adelaide Bank Arts Award.

Concerts on the international stage include Slavko Suklar’s concerto for marimba titled The Corridors. This world premier performance was accompanied by the Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra of Slovenia. Jamie has also performed in Malaysia, England, Germany and the United States of America.

On home soil he gave the Australian debut performance of Keiko Abe’s Prism Rhapsody alongside The Queensland Orchestra. He was fortunate enough to play it once again in the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House accompanied by none other than the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Nebojsa Jovan Zivkovic’s Marimba Concerto No. 2 was also another Australian premier and this time Jamie performed the work with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Age is no obstacle! Jamie has taught many students over the years from the very young to those most mature. He loves sharing his musical knowledge with the next generation so they too may experience the wonders music has brought his way.

Andrew Chan

Andrew Chan completed his musical studies specialising in Classical Percussion at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Over the years, he has enjoyed a teaching career specialising in drum and percussive studies, educating throughout several schools and institutions. Some of these include St Peter’s College, Prince Alfred College, St Andrew’s School, State Music Camp of South Australia, and the Adelaide Youth Orchestra’s. 

Alongside his one-to-one tuition, Andrew has built up and established several Percussion Ensembles and Drumlines (both Junior and Senior) around the state to a competing standard, often placing strongly in events such as ABODA and the Balaklava Eisteddfods. Teaching has been a passion of Andrew’s as he welcomes the opportunity to share his musical knowledge with students from all ages!

Lucinda Collins

Lucinda Collins has performed widely throughout Australia, as well as giving numerous broadcasts for ABC Classic FM. After undergraduate study at the Elder Conservatorium under German pianist Professor Stefan Ammer, in 1984 she was awarded the Elder Overseas Scholarship in Music by the Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide. She has given concerts in the United Kingdom and Korea.

By July 1997 Collins was a lecturer in piano at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Since 2000 she has held the position of Head of Piano and coordinates the chamber music program.

In addition to solo repertoire, Collins has worked extensively as a chamber musician and has partnered many distinguished artists including internationally acclaimed cellists David Geringas and Lynn Harrell. She has also performed with William Hennessy on violin: The Age's Clive O'Connell described Collins and Hennessy's playing of César Franck's Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano in July 1997, "[it] is well, suited to a player of his character, the slashing strokes and powerful chromatic colours getting a solid hearing, in which Collins took equal honors."

Collins performed with the Australian String Quartet and they toured nationally in March 2010. She collaborated with the quartet in 2017 to perform Ernő Dohnányi's Piano Quintet No. 1, Op. 1 in C minor, alongside appearing as soloist with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra performing Mozart's G major Concerto, K.

Kenan Henderson

Kenan Henderson is a First Class Honours graduate of the Elder Conservatorium of Music, studying with Lucinda Collins. Kenan has been the recipient of many awards and prizes including the inaugural Peter Schodde Memorial Scholarship, presented by Recitals Australia and the Helpmann Academy. Kenan is also the recipient of the Emirates Artist's Development Award, presented by the Adelaide Festival. Kenan was also nominated for the prestigious Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Award in 2014: the sole candidate from the University of Adelaide. Kenan also received the City of Adelaide Award at the inaugural Helpmann Academy Classical Music Awards and has won First Prize among other prizes within Recitals Australia's Lunch Hour concert series.

With a focus on chamber music performance, Kenan regularly performs with members of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Benaud Trio and with former members of the Australian String Quartet among others. As soloist, Kenan has performed with the Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra, the Unley Symphony Orchestra and the Burnside Symphony Orchestra. With a strong passion for the arts, Kenan has worked as Artistic Administrator with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and has enjoyed producing and presenting a number of highly-successful productions that combine written word with musical performance; inviting new audiences to experience and enjoy the history and profound artistry within the world of Classical music.

Matthew Binion

Matthew is a graduate from the Elder Conservatorium of Music, receiving his Bachelor of Music with Honours, under the tutelage of Dr David Lockett and Lucinda Collins. Matthew is head of education and manager at the Allenby Gardens Forte School of Music, an examiner for the AMEB, and is a respected educator and accompanist at leading schools throughout South Australia.

At the commencement of his studies, Matthew was awarded the D.B. Salotti Scholarship for his first year at the Conservatorium, and in his second year was awarded the Maude Harriett Riley Scholarship for piano. He was awarded Young Citizen of the Year for the City of Adelaide, receiving his award on Australia Day in 2008. In 2012 he won the annual Lance Dosser Memorial Prize at the Elder Conservatorium of Music.

In 2006 Matthew was accompanist for Adelaide Voices, for which he received the Norman Chinner Scholarship. Matthew has performed in master classes for many distinguished artists including Bart van Oort, Angela Hewitt, Malcolm Martineau, Roy Howat, Clemens Leske.

During Matthew’s residential time at Lincoln College in 2006-08, he was music co-ordinator and musical ambassador for the College, which included organising concerts for various relief funds in Sudan. He received the Lincoln College Marion Kuechen music prize in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Matthew has and continues to work extensively with a variety of artists in Adelaide and nationwide, as both an accompanist and repetiteur.

Monika Laczofy

Pianist and harpsichordist Monika Laczofy graduated from both Australian and Austrian universities. She has performed and broadcast both here and overseas as soloist and chamber musician.

During several years of post-graduate study (piano and harpsichord) in her native Austria, she took part in courses at the Salzburg Mozarteum, also in numerous performances for the International Chamber Music Festival of Oberschützen. She was engaged as coach and repetiteur for singers, as solo and ensemble recitalist, concerto soloist, as well as for studio recording in England and for Austrian Radio.

In Australia she has broadcast for the ABC as soloist, accompanist, concerto soloist and orchestra member with the Melbourne and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras. As Harpsichordist, Laczofy performed for several years with the Melbourne-based Bach Players, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and the Melbourne Musicians, touring and recording much of the Elizabethan & Baroque repertoire, including the keyboard concertos of Bach and his sons.  She has appeared with ensembles for the “Music in the Round” and Barossa Festivals, also the Adelaide Chamber Orchestra.

Since joining the staff of the Elder Conservatorium in 1985 as Staff Accompanist and Part-time Lecturer in Piano, she has accompanied regular student masterclasses, examination recitals and performed with a long list of renowned overseas artists as well as interstate and local soloists, in recital and broadcast. She has also toured much of south and eastern Australia with the Fleurieu Ensemble and more recently performed also with the visiting Swiss “Aura” String Quartet in a series of city and country concerts. An experienced teacher of music at all levels, she has been Chamber Music Tutor and Adjudicator for national competitions.

At present she is widely involved in the Adelaide music scene as Chair and Artistic Coordinator for Recitals Australia Lunch Hour Concerts, Past President/now Secretary of the Accompanists’ Guild of South Australia, Convenor of the Geoffrey Parsons Award and Collaborative Pianist competitions, Advisor and Federal Examiner for the AMEB. In 2020 Monika was awarded an OAM for her services to music education.

Jennifer Chen

Jennifer Chen graduated from the Elder Conservatorium of Music with an Honours degree in performance, and is now completing a performance-based research master’s degree under Mr. Stephen Whittington, Dr. Anna Goldsworthy, and Mrs. Eleonora Sivan. Awards were granted during Bachelor and Honours period, including The Maude Puddy Prize for Piano, Thelma Dent Memorial Prize, Recognition of High Achievement, and Piano Certificate of Performance Prize in recognition of outstanding work in AMEB. Jennifer also performed numerous concerts during this time, including solo recitals, piano duets and two pianos concerts, and piano trio concerts with Recitals Australia; ‘Nocturnes by Candlelight’ at Ukaria Cultural Centre; Chinese Music Day with Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival 2021 at Elder Hall; and householding concert series with Living Choice Retirement House.

Jennifer has more than ten years of teaching experience with students of all ages. She believes that every student has their personality and character, and different teaching methods should be carefully used to develop students’ interests in real music, confidence in piano performance, and skills in many musical-related aspects.
 

Shawn Hui

Shawn Hui has completed his Bachelor of Music Classical Performance with First Class Honours studying under Dr Anna Goldsworthy and Mrs Eleonora Sivan. He was one of three recipients of the 2022 Recitals Australia Elder Conservatorium Fellowship program in which he had the opportunity to perform regularly throughout Adelaide. He has been a regular performer for Recitals Australia and Flinders University, both as a soloist and a collaborative pianist. Shawn was involved in several music festivals, including She Speaks and PianoLab. His regular performances earned him the 2022 Emerging Artist of the Year Award from the Adelaide Critics Circle. 

In his undergraduate study, Shawn was the recipient of multiple scholarships, including the Muriel Perry Scholarship, and the Patrick Cecil Greenland Scholarship for Pianoforte which assisted him greatly in his studies. He also appeared as a soloist with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra in 2021 as his concerto debut, performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. He was also awarded The Lady Anne Miller Award and The Audrey Lees Prize for Excellence in Piano Performance by the Adelaide Eisteddfod, as well as being a finalist in the 2021 Geoffrey Parsons Award, 2021 Autumn Recitals Australia Emerging Artist Awards, 2022 Collaborative Pianist Award, 2022 Elder Conservatorium Top Class, and the winner of the Piano Prize for the 2022 5mbs Young Virtuoso Award.

Simón Pazos Quintana

Simón Pazos Quintana is a classical pianist, accompanist and teacher. He obtained his Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide, under the tutelage of Professor Stefan Ammer. In 2018, Simón performed Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of maestro James Lowe. Later that year, Simón was the recipient of the Peter Schodde Memorial Piano Scholarship, which allowed him to travel throughout Germany, Austria and England, playing for highly respected professors to further his technical abilities and musicianship.

Upon his return to Adelaide, Simón was a finalist in both the 2019 and the 2021 Geoffrey Parsons Award for piano accompaniment. Most recently, he has performed alongside William Hennessy AM and the Adelaide Hills Chamber Players as part of their 2023 Summer Season concerts.

Simón is currently completing his PhD at the Elder Conservatorium, centred around the works for solo piano by composer Aleksandr Mosolov.”

Caleb Lavery-Brook

Guitar

Caleb Lavery-Brook completed his Master of Philosophy in 2021 at the Elder Conservatorium while studying with Dr. Oliver Fartach-Naini. He undertook a Mentorship in 2021 with Australian ARIA award winning guitarist and Artistic Director of the Adelaide Guitar Festival Slava Grigoryan with the assistance of Helpmann Academy. Caleb also holds a Licentiate of Music (LMusA) for classical guitar performances from the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).

Caleb has won numerous awards and prizes including the Classical Guitar LMusA award for outstanding achievement (2018), First Prize in the South Australian final of the Young Virtuoso Award (2018), First Place at the Adelaide Eisteddfod (in years 2015, 2017 and 2018). First Plave in the open age, open instrument category of the Balaklava Eisteddfod (2017), First Place in the open string division of the Adelaide Eisteddfod (As a member of the Opan Guitar Quartet in 2018). Alongside these awards Caleb has also received grants for numerous projects from funding agencies Helpmann Academy and Carclew.

Notable performances include appearances at the Adelaide Guitar Festival in years 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021 and at the 3rd Korean International Guitar Festival in 2017. Caleb is also a regular performer in Chamber Music Adelaide’s (CMA) annual ‘On the Terrace’ event and has also performed regularly for Recitals Australia. Other career highlights include being part of the ‘Perspectives Trilogy’ by the Adelaide-based Kegelstatt ensemble which saw a subsequent commercial release and his involvement in the production of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas through the South Australian State Opera.
 

Heather Lander

Cello

Heather Lander is a dynamic performer, passionate classical musician, and dedicated teacher. Heather holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium. She is currently the only Australian with a Post Graduate Certificate in Specialised String Teaching from the European String Teachers Association and the University of Chichester. Heather is also an accredited Colour Strings and Stringbabies teacher.

As a teacher, Heather has a proven track record of success. Her students frequently win prizes and scholarships and perform exceptionally well in exams. Heather takes a holistic approach to teaching, focusing not only on technique but also on the importance of creativity, expression, and enjoyment of music. Heather uses her studies in Dalcroze methodology to improvise and explore the intrinsic link between movement and music and she incorporates this into her teaching philosophy.

As a performer, Heather is equally impressive. She plays in many different capacities, whether performing solo or as part of an ensemble, Heather's musicianship is always top-notch, and her passion for music is infectious. Heather is a true artist, dedicated to her craft and constantly striving to improve and innovate. Her unique approach to teaching and performing has made her a sought-after musician and teacher. With her talent, dedication, and passion, Heather Lander is sure to continue making a significant impact on the world of music for years to come.

Helen Ayres

Violin

Helen Ayres is a Doctoral graduate of the University of Melbourne and founding member of Seraphim Trio. She has appeared as guest with numerous Australian small ensembles including Flinders Quartet, Syzygy, the Australian Octet and Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. After spending two years living in London and studying pedagogy at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Helen has now returned to Adelaide to teach violin at Elder Conservatorium’s Centre for Young Musicians.

While living in London Helen performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestra. As part of these orchestras she performed across England, Scotland, Germany, Austria and China. Closer to home, Helen is a past member of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and has performed as guest principal with Orchestra Victoria and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

With Seraphim Trio Helen has regularly performed at various festivals including the Melbourne International Arts Festival, Port Fairy Spring Music Festival, Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide French Festival, the Peninsular Summer Music Festival and in 2013, Opera Australia’s Ring Festival in Melbourne. Seraphim has recorded numerous CDs for ABC Classics and are currently part way through a series of trio recordings for ABC Classic FM titled The History of the Piano Trio.
 

Lester Wong

Violin

Lester graduated with First Class Honours in Violin performance from the Elder Conservatorium of Music, studying with Wendy Heiligenberg and Keith Crellin. He is the recipient of the Elder Conservatorium Directors Award, Arved and Suzanne Kurtz Scholarship and Florence Cooke Violin Prize. Lester performs regularly at festivals and concerts around Adelaide, and has led and toured nationally in Co- Opera productions of La Boheme, Eugene Onegin, Mikado, Magic Flute, Barber of Seville, and Don Giovanni. He has also completed the Orchestral Traineeship and Professional Pathways program with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and was also invited to present at an international workshop as part of the Double dialogue Arts journal publication in 2017 at New York’s National Opera Centre.

As an active chamber musician, Lester has performed and attended various chamber music festivals and schools across Australia, most recently at the Australia Chamber Music Festival. He is also an active performer in the Baudin Trio, Maple String Quartet, Bronzewing Quartet and the Royal Commonwealth Society Instrumental Ensembles. Lester is the strings coordinator at Pembroke school and tutor strings and ensembles at St Mary’s College and the South Australian Music Camp. Born and raised in Singapore, Lester has also spent many years studying the erhu with renowned erhu player Zhang Yu Ming. In 2019, he commenced his postgraduate research Master’s in music performance under full scholarship, investigating the cultural and performance meeting points between the violin and erhu.

Kai Gerbi

Violin

Kai is an exciting young teacher with specialisations in violin, musicianship, and composition. Kai completed his undergraduate bachelor's degree (BMUS Classical Performance – Violin) in 2018 with Dr Elizabeth Layton and a subsequent Honours (First Class). He is currently engaged in a Master of Philosophy at the Elder Conservatorium, for which he is the recipient of a highly competitive research scholarship. Alongside his university studies, Kai developed skill in piano playing under Professor Stefan Ammer and embarked on extensive studies in music analysis, music theory, and composition with Dr John Polglase. In 2023, Kai received training in musicianship, aural skills, and pedagogy from Dr James Cuskelly of the Australian Kodály Certificate.

Kai began teaching in 2016 and has worked with young musicians of all skill levels in the positions he has held. Passing on his passion for music he has obtained excellent results from his students, who have played in the Adelaide Youth Orchestras, competed in Eisteddfods, and been admitted into Conservatorium studies. As a teacher, Kai utilises the full depth and breadth of his knowledge to instil both musical and technical understanding in his students. In his role at the Open Music Academy, Kai provides instrumental tuition on the violin, lessons in music theory and composition, and has been chosen to deliver the Academy’s first musicianship and aural training course.

Michael Robertson

Viola

Michael has a B mus.(Hons) from the University of Melbourne. He also studied at the Elder Conservation of Music and the Australian National Academy of Music. He has been a member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra since 2002.  He has also performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra. Michael has played chamber music with many ensembles and plays regularly with Adelaide Baroque. He has taught violin and viola since 2002 and has prepared many students for SACE, IB and AMEB exams.
 

Rob Nairn

Double bass

Returning to Australia from the U.S. in 2017 Rob was appointed as an Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, taking over as head of the Early Music department and director of graduate studies. In 2020 he was appointed Master Musician in Residence at the Elder Con and teaches in The Open Music Academy and both graduate and undergraduate students.

He was perviously a Distinguished Professor of Music at Penn State’s School of Music and on the Faculty of The Juilliard School in New York for 11 years and a Kulas Visiting Artist at Case Western Reserve University. He has lived and worked in Germany, England, Australia and the United States performing with such groups as the London and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestras; the Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestras; the English, Scottish and Australian Chamber Orchestras, the Bavarian Radio Symphony, the Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland, West Australian and Adelaide Symphony Orchestras, the London Sinfonietta, the Halle Orchestra, and the London Mozart Players. Rob has played in all seasons of the Australian World Orchestra and featured as one of the AWO’s 8 double bass soloists in the 2016 premiere of Elena Kats-Chernin’s commissioned concerto “The Witching Hour”.

Rob is a specialist in historical performance, and has been principal bassist with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra since 2017 and a member of both Ironwood and Adelaide Baroque. He was principal bass of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society since 2003, and also principal bass of the Boston Early Music Festival and Juilliard Baroque. He has performed with the English Baroque Soloists, Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, Concerto Caledonia, Washington Bach Consort, Rebel, Florilegium, The Smithsonian Chamber Players, The Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra, Muffat Collective, Bach Akademie Australia, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

He has commissioned and premiered more than forty new works for solo double bass and chamber groups including concerti by Barry Conyngham and Doug Balliett, and he has given solo recitals in Europe, Scandinavia, China, the United States, and Australia.

He can be heard on over 60 commercial CDs and has recorded for Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Sony, EMI, Virgin, ABC Classics, and Channel Classics. His first solo CD ‘Tremor’ was released in 2022 on the U.S. Ablaze label.

Rob is a Past President of the International Society of Bassists from whom he received a Recognition Award for Historical Performance in 2009. He is a Howard Foundation Fellowship recipient from Brown University and DAAD German Government Scholarship recipient.

Stephanie Acraman

Stephanie Acraman is an experienced voice teacher, with a strong background of stage performances in opera, classical, music theatre, jazz, gospel, soul, and pop, having performed in places such as Italy, the Maldives, Singapore, China, Vietnam, Dubai, and the USA.

Stephanie began her performing life training in dance from age four, studying ballet, tap and modern jazz. On leaving school she stepped directly into a position with theatre company The Emergency Broadcasting Company, touring New Zealand for two years as a lead actor, singer and dancer.

As a teacher, Stephanie now works closely with singers and actors on vocal production, technique, text interpretation, stagecraft and movement. As Senior Lecturer and Head of Voice/Head of Performance Studies at the Waikato University Conservatorium of Music (NZ), Stephanie saw great success with the artists she worked with, many now taking places in international music courses, programs and professional companies around the world.

Having held the position as Artistic Director for Co-Opera (2021–2024), Stephanie also has a passion for directing, and producing musical works, revues and concerts. She has recently directed and produced Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi (2022), Donizetti's opera The Elixir of Love (2023), Offenbach's opera The Tales of Hoffmann (2020) and was Assistant Director for Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro with the Saluzzo Opera Academy, Italy (2023).

She also conducts regular workshops and masterclasses in vocal technique, stagecraft, movement for singers, audition techniques, and creating theatre for State Theatre Company South Australia, NZ Opera Studio Artists, Studio Voice and State Opera South Australia.

Releasing her debut solo album in 2023, Stephanie is also an experienced recording artist, and recording studio vocal coach. She currently teaches vocal technique on both the Music Theatre and Classical bachelor degrees at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, Adelaide.

William Branson

Clarinet

William Branson began learning the clarinet at 9 years old and continued to learn the instrument throughout his time at school. He graduated from Trinity College in 2017, receiving the music subject prize as well as two SACE Subject Merits. From 2018 to 2020, William studied his Bachelor of Music under the guidance of Elizabeth Koch and Dean Newcomb, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra’s Principal Clarinettist.

William is a member of many different ensembles, including the Adelaide Youth Orchestra, Adelaide Wind Orchestra, the Elder Conservatorium Symphony and Wind Orchestras, and currently teaches at several schools around Adelaide. William has also travelled overseas, twice previously being the Principal Bass Clarinettist of the Honors Performance Series in Carnegie Hall, New York.

Mark Gaydon

Bassoon

Mark Gaydon has been Principal Bassoonist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra since 2003. During this time he has appeared as soloist with the orchestra on numerous occasions performing solo works by Mozart, Weber, Zwilich, Williams, Franciax and Strauss. He has also appeared as guest principal bassoon with the Sydney Symphony, the New Zealand Symphony, the Queensland Symphony and the Tasmanian Symphony orchestra.

As a chamber musician he has performed with Ellision Ensemble, The Southern Cross Soloists, the New London Chamber Ensemble, the Tancibudek Wind Quintet and his own group Ensemble Le Monde. An avid teacher, Mark has been Associate Instructor at the Indiana University School of Music, a guest artist at the Australian National Academy of Music, bassoon tutor for the Australian Youth Orchestra, AYO National Music Camp and Young Symphonists programs, and Bassoon Instructor at the Elder Conservatorium since 2005. Mark has a PhD in music from the University of Adelaide and was awarded a Dean of Graduate Studies Special Commendation for Thesis Excellence. In 2005 he won the ABC Young Performer of the Year wind, brass and percussion section and in 1999 was awarded grand prize in the Indianapolis Matinee Musicale Competition in the USA competing against players of all instruments. Mark is a keen supporter of Australian composers and has commissioned and premiered works for the bassoon by Gerard Brophy, Andrew Schultz, Katy Abbott, James Cuddeford, Luke Altmann and Charles Bodman Rae. In December 2013 many of the commissioned works were featured on ABC Classic  Fm's New Waves Podcast series forming a bassoon odyssey into new Australian bassoon works. In 2011 he was a featured artist on 3MBS's Musical Portraits series and performed Berio's notorious Sequenza XII for solo in a live radio broadcast. Mark's teachers include Kim Walker and Stephane Levesque.

Anna Henwood

Flute

Anna Henwood is a Doctor of Philosophy candidate at the University of Adelaide and gratefully acknowledges the support she receives for her research through the provision of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. Anna’s thesis relates to the flute pedagogy and contribution of her teacher, Raymond Guiot, a student of Marcel Moyse, flute teacher of the 1900s and writer of many flute books. Anna acknowledges all teachers who have impacted her life over the years and is thankful for the many ways they have contributed to her learning.  

Anna has a rich musical, linguistic, and educational background, and her experiences in Australia and overseas have helped shape her strong intercultural and teaching skills. Anna accepted a full scholarship for Bachelor of Music (Performance) study at Flinders Street School of Music, offered to her following her year twelve results for Performance and Performance Special Study. It was after year twelve that Anna met Raymond Guiot in Rome and decided to one day return and study with him in Italy. After graduating with Honours in Performance at the Elder Conservatorium, Anna moved to Italy to complete a triennial course with Raymond Guiot at the Italian Flute Academy in Rome and was awarded a First Prize on examination. Anna was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Italian from Flinders University, Graduate Diploma of Education from the University of Adelaide and a Masters in Modern Languages Education from the University of Melbourne. Anna strives to be an educator who meets students where they are at, and aims to support students of all levels and ages to achieve their own individual goals.

Derek Pascoe

Saxophone

Derek Pascoe has been playing saxophone professionally for over 45 years including regular TV, radio broadcasts and studio recordings across a range of genres. At the age of 17 he was a member of acclaimed pop group Flintlock, who produced 5 albums and were featured weekly on UK national television including Top of the Pops and Tomorrow's People. Pascoe has played at many of London's Jazz venues including Ronnie Scott's, Bass Clef, and the Jazz Cafe. He has toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan, and Australia. In 1998 Pascoe moved to Australia from London. He completed a Master of Music at the Elder Conservatorium Adelaide in 2010, exploring performance and spontaneous improvisation techniques. Since 2000, he has lectured in Jazz Theory and Improvisation across the Jazz, Classical and Contemporary disciplines at the Elder Conservatorium in Adelaide.

Pascoe has an extensive recording, arranging and composing history that includes the National Youth Jazz Orchestra UK, Jacqueline Dankworth UK, Shaolin Afronauts, the Zeitgeist Orchestra, John Aue and the Yearlings. His work in film includes improvised performance for the film documentary These Heathen Dreams, with music composed by Mike Darren and directed by Ann Tsoulis. In 2016 he composed and performed the music to accompany the silent masterpiece The Crowd as part of the APRA Silent Remasters series.

In 2014, Pascoe composed music to Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood, which received its world premiere in the Elder Hall Lunchtime Series in Adelaide. A subsequent CD recording was released in 2015 by Finepoets.

Pascoe is part of the UnPiano trio, their composition Grand Silence, a poignant commemoration of the people who lost their lives in World Wars 1 and 2, has been performed in Adelaide, Poland and Berlin. Pascoe has just released an album on Wizard Tone Records with his own group She Gave Him Oleander playing an evocative mixture of words and music encompassing jazz, folk, and traditional songs in a contemporary setting.

Caleb Lavery-Brook

Guitar ensemble

Caleb Lavery-Brook completed his Master of Philosophy in 2021 at the Elder Conservatorium while studying with Dr. Oliver Fartach-Naini. He undertook a Mentorship in 2021 with Australian ARIA award winning guitarist and Artistic Director of the Adelaide Guitar Festival Slava Grigoryan with the assistance of Helpmann Academy. Caleb also holds a Licentiate of Music (LMusA) for classical guitar performances from the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).

Caleb has won numerous awards and prizes including the Classical Guitar LMusA award for outstanding achievement (2018), First Prize in the South Australian final of the Young Virtuoso Award (2018), First Place at the Adelaide Eisteddfod (in years 2015, 2017 and 2018). First Plave in the open age, open instrument category of the Balaklava Eisteddfod (2017), First Place in the open string division of the Adelaide Eisteddfod (As a member of the Opan Guitar Quartet in 2018). Alongside these awards Caleb has also received grants for numerous projects from funding agencies Helpmann Academy and Carclew.

Notable performances include appearances at the Adelaide Guitar Festival in years 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021 and at the 3rd Korean International Guitar Festival in 2017. Caleb is also a regular performer in Chamber Music Adelaide’s (CMA) annual ‘On the Terrace’ event and has also performed regularly for Recitals Australia. Other career highlights include being part of the ‘Perspectives Trilogy’ by the Adelaide-based Kegelstatt ensemble which saw a subsequent commercial release and his involvement in the production of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas through the South Australian State Opera.