Open Music Academy Teaching Staff

Caleb Lavery-Brook

Guitar

Coordinator

Caleb Lavery-Brook is a passionate music educator As the Artistic Director of the South Australian Youth Guitar Ensemble (SAYGE), among other school teaching appointments, Caleb directs, conducts, and mentors young guitarists, fostering their musical growth and ensemble skills.

His work with SAYGE earned the ensemble a nomination for “Best Music Educator” at the SA Music Awards in 2023. Caleb completed his Master of Philosophy in Music in 2021, mentored by Dr. Oliver Fartach-Naini and ARIA-winning guitarist Slava Grigoryan. Alongside teaching, recent performance highlights include at the Daegu International Guitar Festival (2023) and Adelaide Guitar Festival (2022).

His compositions, commissioned by Chamber Music Adelaide and the Elder Conservatorium, include Kaleidoscope and Odysseus, and have been showcased in Adelaide’s major music events.
 

Edith Salzmann

Cello

Associate Director Open Music Academy

Edith Salzmann is a German/NZ cellist with an extensive career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. She began her studies at the Music Academy in Detmold in Germany at the age of fourteen and went on to study at Indiana University, Bloomington (USA), where she studied with Janos Starker. She was a member of the Tibor Varga Chamber Orchestra, the Corda String Quartet, the Musikfabrik Duesseldorf, and various other New Music ensembles and has performed extensively all over Europe, America, Asia, and Australasia.

Her discography includes releases on Naxos, Stradivarius, EMI Germany, Atoll, and Rattle records with several CD's for Naxos Records being scheduled for release in 2025. She regularly tours with the Pettman Ensemble, the Dorrit Ensemble and the Lumen Ensemble and records for Naxos Records.
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Edith is a highly successful teacher, with many of her former students now having careers in professional orchestras or as chamber musicians. From 2001 - 2012 she was Director of Performance and Senior Lecturer at the University of Canterbury (NZ), and in 2013 she accepted a Senior lecturer position at the University of Auckland. Since 2024 she teaches at the University of Adelaide.  She is in demand for masterclasses and regularly teaches in  Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Germany, Poland, and Switzerland.

In 2005, she founded the Pettman National Junior Academy, a privately sponsored scholarship program for highly talented young musicians. To date, this program has been going from strength to strength, with multiple international prize winners coming out of its ranks. In 2024, Edith took on the position of Associate Director of the Open Music Program at the Elder Conservatorium. 

Helen Ayres

Violin

Coordinator

Helen Ayres is a Doctoral graduate of the University of Melbourne and current violin teacher at the Open Music Academy, University of Adelaide. She is a founding member of Seraphim trio, resident leader of the Adelaide Hills Chamber Players Hendrickson Strings ensemble and has appeared as guest leader with numerous Australian ensembles. Helen also appears as a regular Principal violinist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

As a founding member of Seraphim, Helen has commissioned new works by Brett Dean, James Ledger, Jakob Jankowski and Richard Mills and has performed at various Australian festivals with musicians Paul Kelly, Lucinda Collins, Konstantin Shamray and Elizabeth Layton. Helen’s chamber music concerts are regularly broadcast on ABC and MBS-FM radio stations and she has also presented for Radio 5MBS-FM in Adelaide. In 2019, Seraphim’s Thirteen Ways to Look at Birds with Paul Kelly, James Ledger, and Alice Keath won the ARIA award for Best Classical Album. Other albums include Trio Through Time, The Trout, Beethoven Piano Trios and most recently Women in Music.

Helen held a permanent position with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and has since performed in England, Scotland, Germany, Austria and China with the BBC Scottish Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Helen is passionate about increasing performance opportunities for young Australian musicians. To this end she is appears on the board of Recitals Australia and for three years convened the String and Ensemble Divisions of the Adelaide Eisteddfod Society.
 

Rob Nairn

Bass

Coordinator

Rob Nairn is on the faculty of the Elder Conservatorium as lecturer in historical performance and lower strings. He held teaching positions at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, as head of the Early Music department and was previously a Distinguished Professor of Music at Penn State’s School of Music, on the Faculty of The Juilliard School 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, the London Mozart Players and the Australian World Orchestra. 

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 from 2003 - 2017, 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.

Stephen King

Viola

Coordinator

Stephen King’s extensive career spans a decade as the violist of the Australian String Quartet, following a similar period with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. He has participated in countless performances, festivals, recordings and collaborations both in Australia and overseas. Stephen has played as soloist with ACO, Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmania, Vancouver and West Australian Symphony Orchestra's and shared the stage with rock musicians from Lou Reed to Powderfinger to Missy Higgins. Currently Stephen is principal viola of the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra and collaborates with a diverse group of chamber musicians around the country.

 Stephen's academic accomplishments include a Doctorate in Chamber Music, with studies under esteemed string quartets such as the Emerson and Guarneri. Stephen shares his musical knowledge through teaching viola and chamber music at the University of Adelaide, Elder Conservatorium, and regularly tutors at National Music Camp, for AYO, AdYO and Young Mannheim Symphonists. He regularly sits on adjudication panels and many former students have leading roles in Australian and overseas orchestras and chamber ensembles.

Thomas Marlin

Cello

Coordinator

Rapidly emerging as one of Australia’s pre-eminent cellists, Thomas Marlin tours nationally with the Alma Moodie Quartet and the Tarrawatta Trio, and is principal cellist of Adelaide Baroque, all with whom he regularly performs with Australia’s leading musicians. Having performed extensively throughout Europe, Asia and Australia, he has graced numerous prominent concert halls including Wigmore Hall (London), the Rudolfinum (Prague) and the Barbican (London), and has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and ABC Classic FM. Thomas’s performance with Michael Ierace for Tarrawatta’s Exclusive Musical Soiree in
December 2022 was described by Limelight as “chamber music playing at its best.”

Recent highlights include solo performances with the Adelaide Chamber Singers and the Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra, as well as multiple appearances at the Utzon Room (Sydney Opera House), Canberra International Music Festival and the Adelaide Festival. He has recently recorded an album in collaboration with leading Australian flautist, Sally Walker
- Boccherini: Chamber Works for Flute - which was released under Avie Records in August. Thomas is also a very passionate educator, teaching some of South Australia’s leading young cellists, amongst whom are a number who hold senior positions in the Adelaide Youth Orchestra and participate in Australian Youth Orchestra and other national training programmes.

Originally from Adelaide, he studied with Janis Laurs at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, before completing undergraduate studies with Li Wei Qin at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (Singapore) and completing a Masters with Distinction under Louise Hopkins at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London).

Zoe Freisberg

Violin

Coordinator - Young Strings Program

Hailing from Gympie Queensland, Zoe has fast built a career as one of the most versatile Australian violinists of her generation. She made her Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 15, before continuing on to perform as concerto soloist with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria. As a recitalist she has performed extensively throughout Australia, the United States of America, Spain, Estonia, and in 2017 toured mainland China alongside English pianist Alexander Ullman. In high demand as an orchestral violinist, Zoe performs regularly with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. As a chamber musician Zoe has appeared at the Orange Chamber Music Festival, Sanguine Estate Music Festival, Huntington Estate Music Festival and the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, working alongside artists such as Alexander Sitkovetsky, Andrew Haveron and Ian Munro. In 2021 Zoe led the orchestra for Hugh Jackman’s The Greatest Showman tour throughout Australia.

Zoe is a recipient of numerous awards and prizes including the prestigious Kendall National Violin Competition and the Australian Classical Music Competition. She is also a laureate of the ABC Symphony Australia’s Young Performers Awards. In 2022 Zoe was a recipient of the Ian Potter Cultural Fund’s Emerging Artist Development Grant and has been honoured by the American Australian Association as one of their Arts Funds Scholars. Zoe holds both a Masters Degree and Performer Diploma from the Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she studied with Distinguished Professor Mauricio Fuks and Professor Mark Kaplan. She also is a graduate of the Australian National Academy of Music where she studied with Dr. Robin Wilson and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music Griffith University, where she studied with Michelle Walsh.

Passionate and active as a pedagogue, Zoe has taught violin, viola and chamber music throughout the United States of America and Australia. Zoe taught at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music String Academy, where she worked alongside distinguished pedagogue Mimi Zweig. Extending her experience in pre-tertiary education, Zoe currently teaches at Immanuel College in Adelaide, and has previously taught at Haileybury in Melbourne, John Paul College in Brisbane.

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.
 

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, Florence Cooke Violin Prize and the Prize for Excellence in Postgraduate Research.

Lester performs regularly at festivals and has led and toured nationally in multiple South Australia State Opera and Co-Opera productions. 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. He was recently a guest soloist with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and Adelaide Wind Orchestra.  

As an active chamber musician, Lester has performed at various chamber music festivals and schools across Australia, most recently at the Australia Chamber Music Festival. He performs regularly with Baudin Trio, Maple String Quartet, Bronzewing Quartet and is a member of the Adelaide Hills Chamber Players. Lester is also the founding member of the Silk Strings huqin Ensemble. 
 
Lester is the Coordinator of Strings at Pembroke School and a conductor at the South Australian Music Camp. Born and raised in Singapore, Lester studied huqin with renowned huqin player Zhang Yu Ming, and is a First Prize winner at the Singapore National Chinese music competition. He is currently pursuing his doctoral research, investigating the cultural and performance intersection between the violin and huqin.
 

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 been a member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra viola section since 2002. He has also played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria and Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.

He studied music at Marryatville High School, the Elder Conservatorium, University of Melbourne (graduating with Honours) and the Australian National Academy of Music. His music teachers have included Beryl Kimber, Keith Crellin and Katharine Brockman. Michael enjoys playing chamber music. Highlights include performing Mendelssohn’s Octet and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence with ASO colleagues, Amanda Forsyth and Pinchas Zukerman at the Adelaide Town Hall and Ukaria. Michael is an experienced teacher of violin and viola and enjoys teaching students of all ages.
 

Sam Morris

Electric/Jazz Guitar

Sam Morris is a musician and teacher based in Adelaide, South Australia.  She has over ten years of performance experience in the live music industry playing a wide variety of styles from jazz to latin pop to punk and everything in between.  Since graduating from the Elder Conservatorium in 2019 she has taught guitar to students of all ages, skill levels and musical proclivities.  She is passionate about tailoring the learning experience of each of her students to their individual interests, needs and goals.
 

Vivian Milton

Piano

Coordinator

Acclaimed by Fanfare as “an exemplar of the modern global pianist”, Viain Choi Milton is renowned for her musical insight in a wide-ranging repertoire, from classical to contemporary works, presented in thoughtful and imaginative programs.

Vivian has toured extensively throughout Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North America, and Asia as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. Recent highlights include concerto appearances with the Grammy Award®-winning Boston Modern Orchestra Project and the world premiere of Kate Moore’s Piano Concerto “Beatrice”, which was nominated as a finalist for the 2020 APRA AMCOS Art Music Award’s Work of the Year. An avid chamber musician, Vivian has performed regularly as a guest artist with the Boston Symphony Chamber Players, the Chameleon Arts Ensemble in the US, and the Herz Ensemble in the Netherlands.

Recent engagements include Tanglewood Festival in the US, the Coriole Music Festival and Bowral Autumn Music Festival in Australia, solo recitals in Spain, the Netherlands and Australia, as well as appearances with the Sydney Soloists for Sydney Mozart Society and Herz Ensemble at the Muziekgebouw and the Korzo in the Netherlands.

Vivian released two critically acclaimed albums on the BMOP/Sound label with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, with their recording of Harold Shapero’s Partita in C for Piano and Orchestra selected as one of the best in 2020 by The Arts Fuse, Sequenza21, and ClassicsToday in the US.

First Prize winner of the Maria Yudina International Piano Competition in Russia, Vivian has won top prizes in international piano competitions in Italy, the Netherlands and Bulgaria.  She graduated summa cum laude from the Saint Petersburg State Conservatory (Russia) and holds graduate degrees from the New England Conservatory (USA) and Carnegie Mellon University (USA). Vivian currently serves on the piano faculty at University of Adelaide Elder Conservatorium.

Jennifer Chen

Piano

Jennifer Chen is an accomplished pianist and alumna of the Elder Conservatorium of Music, where she completed a BMus Honours in Performance. She is currently pursuing a research-based Master’s degree, guided by Prof. Anna Goldsworthy, Mrs. Eleonora Sivan, and Mr. Stephen Whittington. Her musical excellence has been recognized with the Maude Puddy Prize for Piano, the Thelma Dent Memorial Prize, and the AMEB Prize for Certificate of Performance.
Jennifer’s versatile performance career includes solo recitals, duets, and chamber music, with notable appearances at the Ukaria Cultural Centre, Elder Hall, and festivals like OzAsia. She has long contributed to the Adelaide Eisteddfod, from winning as a high school participant to co-convening the event since 2022, and she served as an adjudicator in 2024.

As a dedicated teacher at the Open Music Academy, Immanuel College, and Westminster School, Jennifer’s students have achieved strong results in AMEB exams, competitions, and have been featured in masterclasses and festivals. She values music as a source of therapy and self-discovery, tailoring her approach to support her students’ musical and personal growth, and fostering a love for music that extends beyond performance.
 

Jenny Su

Piano

Jenny, an Adelaide local, is a recent graduate of the Elder Conservatorium. She holds a Bachelor of Music (Advanced) with First Class Honours (1), having studied under the guidance of Lucinda Collins. Throughout her studies, Jenny has been the recipient of several scholarships, including the Maude Harriot and Patrick Cecil Greenland Scholarships for Piano, as well as the Daisy Burmeister Salotti and Jack De Vos Scholarships.

Jenny has honed her craft through masterclasses with internationally renowned pianists such as Angela Hewitt, Paavali Jumpannen, Stephan Kovacevich, Phillip Moll, and Paloma Kouider. In both 2021 and 2024, she was awarded the Wilf Mader Memorial Medallion, winning the Senior division in attending years 2021, 2023 and 2024.  In 2023 and 2024, she was also named the state finalist and winner of the Young Virtuoso Competition, securing the piano category prize and overall first place.
Notable performances in Jenny’s career include appearances at the Art of Possible Festival, PianoLab, and collaborations with Stephen King and Helen Ayres for the AGSA Ruby Festival and Lunch Hour Series. She was also selected for the Top-Class Concert of the Lunch Hour Series, where she was awarded the Peter Brooker Prize for Musical Excellence. In 2023, Jenny also represented South Australia at the Australian Showcase for the Sydney International Piano Competition.
 

Kenan Henderson

Piano

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.
 

Lucinda Collins

Piano

Lucinda Collins is the Head of Keyboard at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. Born in Adelaide, she graduated from the Conservatorium with a first-class honours degree before taking up the prestigious Elder Overseas Scholarship to study with Professor Peter Wallfisch at the Royal College of Music in London. On her return to Australia she was awarded the National Hephzibah Menuhin Scholarship and also won the National Bicentennial Piano Competition.

Lucinda has given concerts widely throughout Australia as well as the UK and Korea. A solo recitalist and concerto soloist, she also performs extensively as a chamber musician and has partnered many distinguished international artists. She has performed and toured nationally with the Australian String Quartet and collaborates regularly with many of Australia’s finest musicians.

A dedicated teacher, Lucinda has taught many of Adelaide’s most talented young pianists. Her students have been prize winners at state, national and international level.  She also mentors chamber ensembles and oversees the Elder Conservatorium’s collaborative piano program.

Matthew Binion

Piano

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

Piano

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 Junior Ensemble Musicians (JEMs), the Geoffrey Parsons Award and Collaborative Pianist competitions. Aside from piano teaching, privately and for O.M.A., Monika coaches accompanying and chamber music. She is also Advisor and Federal Examiner for the AMEB. In 2020 Monika was awarded an OAM for her services to music education. 
 

Shawn Hui

Piano

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

Piano

Simón Pazos Quintana is a Spanish-born, Adelaide-based 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, he made his concerto debut with Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of maestro James Lowe. Later that year, he was awarded the Peter Schodde Memorial Piano Scholarship, with which he travelled throughout Germany, Austria and England, playing for highly respected professors and performers to further his technical abilities and musicianship.

Upon his return to Adelaide, Simón was a finalist in the 2019, 2021 and 2023 Geoffrey Parsons Awards for piano accompaniment. He accompanies classes, recitals and exams in the Elder Conservatorium, where he is also a piano teacher as part of the Open Music Academy. He is a sought-after accompanist and regularly features in the Recitals Australia lunchtime recitals. As a solo recital pianist, Simón recently performed in the 2024 PianoLab festival in June, where he
presented two major works by composer Aleksandr Mosolov. Furthermore, earlier this year and under the supervision of pianist Konstantin Shamray, Simón also completed his performance-based PhD, centred around recordings of the full works for solo piano by Mosolov. The doctorate was awarded with a Dean’s Commendation.
 

Anna Henwood

Flute

Anna teaches flute students from beginner to diploma levels and is a registered teacher with classroom experience. Anna gratefully acknowledges the support of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship for her doctoral research at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, the University of Adelaide. Anna’s thesis relates to the flute teaching and contribution of her teacher, Raymond Guiot, a student of Marcel Moyse, flute teacher of the 1900s and writer of many flute books. 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 completed a three-year examined 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 Master’s in Modern Languages Education from the University of Melbourne. Anna strives to be an educator who meets students where they are and aims to support students of all levels and ages to achieve their own individual goals.
 

Jonathan Daw

Oboe

Jonathan graduated from the Elder Conservatorium in the mid 70s learning oboe from Jiri Tancibudek.  From there he went immediately into professional orchestral playing, initially in Melbourne but for over 20 years in Brisbane.  He had a 2 year stay in France learning from Maurice Bourgue and Alain Denis who played cor anglais in the Orchestra de Paris. 
A combination of circumstances led to a change of careers in the 90’s.

Jonathan completed an honours degree in psychology at Queensland University and is now a social worker.  His honours thesis was about the application of performance psychology for musicians. Since returning to Adelaide he has been active in Adelaide’s wonderful amateur music making scene and have come to teaching oboe again with a renewed interest and perspective. 
 

Joshua Oates

Oboe

Joshua Oates returned to Australia to take up the role of Principal Oboe of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at the start of 2020. Until then, he had been studying towards a Master of Music in Saarbrücken, Germany with Philippe Tondre. Prior to moving overseas, he was a fellow with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2016 and 17. During his time in Germany, Joshua played in the theatre orchestras of Aachen, Düsseldorf and Saarbrücken, as well as guest principal with Cappella Aquileia in Heidenheim. He has also played as guest principal in most of Australia’s professional orchestras.

Joshua’s undergraduate studies took place at the Elder Conservatorium of Music Adelaide with Celia Craig, where he graduated with first class honours.  In 2021 he returned to the Elder Conservatorium as Oboe teacher, and is passionate about working with the next generation of Australia’s Oboists. Joshua has appeared as a concerto soloist in Adelaide throughout his career and will return in 2024 concerto appearances with the Adelaide Symphony and Bendigo Symphony. He is also a keen recital and chamber musician, and had his premiere as solo artist at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in 2023.
 

Mark Gaydon

Bassoon

Dr Mark Gaydon is an Australian bassoonist and woodwind pedagogue. As bassoon instructor at the Elder Conservatorium since 2004 and Open Music Academy since 2019 he has established a reputation for academic and research excellence. He has been a guest artist at the Australian National Academy of Music, Australian Youth Orchestra training programs and has acted as an Associate Instructor at the Indiana University School of Music, Bloomington USA. He gained national recognition as a soloist in 2005 winning the Symphony Australia ABC Young Performer Awards Wind/Brass section. “There is no question, Gaydon is a true virtuoso” and “a master of nuance” (Advertiser). “Gaydon’s performance is exceptional, and he elegantly navigates the transitions between technical virtuosity and soaring lyricism with remarkable flexibility” (CD review). He has performed throughout Australia and in the USA, Canada, Spain and Thailand.

In 2003 he became the Section Leader Bassoon with the Adelaide Symphony and has been soloist on numerous occasions with the orchestra performing concertos by Mozart, Zwilich, Francaix, Jolivet, Strauss, Williams, Tamberg and Haydn. He has appeared as guest principal bassoon with the Sydney, Tasmanian, New Zealand and Queensland Symphony Orchestras. A keen advocate and creator of new music Mark has premiered bassoon works by Andrew Schultz, Gerard Brophy, Charles Bodman Rae, Katy Abbott, James Cuddeford, Luke Altmann, Joe Chindamo and Katia Beaugais. 
 

William Branson

Clarinet

William Branson is currently studying his Masters of Teaching at the University of Adelaide, having completed his Bachelor of Music with Honours at the Elder Conservatorium in 2021 whilst studying under the guidance of Dean Newcomb, Elizabeth Koch AM, and Amanda Grigg. Throughout his time at the conservatorium, he was an active member of the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and Wind Orchestra. He was also a member of the Adelaide Youth Orchestra for many years, and is currently a member of the Adelaide Wind Orchestra. In the years since, he has been a clarinet and saxophone teacher across many different schools in Adelaide. He has performed as a member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra Young Symphonists, the Adelaide Hills Chamber Players, and State Opera South Australia.
William has been playing clarinet for over 15 years, and began teaching in 2019. He has worked with students from junior primary all the way to year 12. Passing on his passion and appreciation for music has always been on the front of his mind, and his students have been successful in applying for the Festival of Music Orchestra, Adelaide Youth Orchestras, and the Elder Conservatorium, alongside strong results in AMEB exams.
 

Stephanie Acraman

Voice

Coordinator - Voice

A highly sought after voice and stagecraft teacher Stephanie Acraman has taught through leading institutions in Australia and New Zealand, developing young artists in preparation for careers in the performing arts in classical, music theatre, jazz and contemporary music genres. 

An experienced arts leader, previous roles include Artistic Director for Co-Opera (South Australia) and Senior Lecturer, Head of Voice and Head of Performance Studies at the University of Waikato Conservatorium of Music (NZ) where she developed a leading course in classical and music theatre studies. Stephanie also conducts masterclasses with organisations such as State Theatre Company South Australia, State Opera South Australia, New Zealand Opera, Flinders Drama Centre, ANATS and various schools with a particular focus on regional connections.

Stephanie also teaches at the Elder Conservatorium of Music for the Classical and Music Theatre degree courses, and through Studio Voice a South Australian and online based studio for which Stephanie is the Director.

Artists Stephanie has worked with are now engaged in professional positions, young artist programmes and institutions around the world, including the Jette Parker Program, Manhattan School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama London, Mountview Drama School London, New Zealand Opera, Opera Australia, Berlin Opera Academy, Opera North, Royal Opera Company (London), University of Cincinnati College of Music, National Opera Studio, St. Gallen Konzert and Theater, many being awarded with scholarships and awards.

As an artist Stephanie has performed extensively in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Italy, Vietnam and beyond in many genres including Opera, Oratorio, Lieder and Art Song Recital, Dance, Musical Theatre, Jazz, CD and Live Radio Broadcast Recordings with piano, orchestra or big band.
 

John Gluyas

Trombone

Coordinator - Brass

John Gluyas (M.Mus) is an Australian trombonist and brass educator based in Adelaide. He is a graduate of the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music where he studied with Jorgen van Rijen, the Solo Trombonist of the Concertgebouw Orchestra.

John held the position of Head of Brass at St. Peters College in Auckland until mid 2022 when his family decided to return to their hometown of Adelaide. He has performed with the Adelaide and New Zealand Symphonies, Orchestra Victoria and the Auckland Philharmonia. John has also performed in Broadway productions of musicals such as Aladdin, Wicked, Mary Poppins and The Book of Mormon. Since returning to Adelaide he has performed with the ASO at the Adelaide Festival and has played in seasons at the Festival Theatre of the Musicals Mary Poppins, Miss Saigon and Chicago. He currently teaches Brass at Trinity College, Rostrevor College and the Open Music Academy at Adelaide University.

John is passionate about new and old music. In 2007 and 2009 he attended the IMPULS New Music master course in Graz, Austria where he studied with trombone soloist and composer Mike Svoboda. He also has extensive performing experience on the sackbut, the Renaissance trombone.
 

Timothy Frahn

Trumpet

Tim is a graduate of the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide, having studied trumpet performance with James Dempsey and Robin Finlay. He has been a regular guest with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra since 2013, and has recently performed as Guest Principal Trumpet with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Canberra Symphony Orchestra, and State Opera of South Australia for their national touring seasons. Tim is the Founding President of Adelaide Wind Orchestra, driven by a love for the symphonic wind ensemble, championing works by both emerging and established Australian composers, with a special focus on supporting South Australian composition in partnership with the Elder Conservatorium of Music’s composition faculty, and just coming off the back of a highly successful tour representing Australia in South Korea for the 20th World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE) conference. In addition to performing with various ensembles around Adelaide, Tim balances an active teaching schedule at various schools, tutoring with the Australian Youth Orchestra and Adelaide Youth Orchestras, and lecturing at the University of Adelaide.
 

Amanda Grigg

Percussion

Coordinator - Percussion

Amanda Grigg is a graduate of the South Australian College of Advanced Education, where she studied percussion under the tutelage of James Bailey. With marimba solo repertoire as a focus, Amanda was a recipient of an Australia Council grant to study in New York with renowned marimba soloists William Moersch and Nancy Zeltsman. On her return to Adelaide, she completed her master’s degree in performance at the Elder Conservatorium of Music.

Amanda has since enjoyed a diverse musical career. She has worked regularly as a percussionist with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, with highlights including tours to Asia and the US, Australian premiere of Wagner’s Ring Cycle and Brett Dean’s Hamlet. As a freelance performer her credits include opera and ballet productions, cabaret, musicals and movie soundtracks. As chamber musician recent highlights include:  Ukaria 24 with Lawrence Power and the world Premiere of Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan for the Adelaide Festival of Arts. Amanda has also recorded for television with the Australian Dance Theatre and for national radio broadcast as a marimba soloist.

As an educator, Amanda is passionate about percussion teaching at all levels, with extensive experience teaching in primary, secondary and tertiary education settings. She is a Percussion Advisor for the Australian Music Examination Board with compositions published in the AMEB Percussion Series 1 Grade books. In 2014 Amanda was appointed Head of Percussion Studies at the Elder Conservatorium of Music where she now serves as the Head of Percussion and Associate Director Honours Programs

Andrew Chan

Percussion

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!
 

Jamie Adam

Percussion

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.
 

John McDermott

Drums

John McDermott has had an extensive and varied career spanning over 30 years as a drummer best known for his versatility and musicality. An awarded musician both academically and professionally, John graduated in 1997 from the University of Adelaide with a scholarship funded Honours Degree in Jazz Performance. In the same year, he was runner-up in the “Best Up & Coming Drummer” competition at Melbourne’s Ultimate Drummer’s Weekend and also one of 10 finalists in the Wangaratta Jazz Festival’s national jazz awards. 

John has performed with many notable artists such as James Morrison, Peter Cupples, Jon English, Jenny Morris, Rick Price, Kate Ceberano, Marina Prior, Todd McKenney and Tom Burlinson to name a few. He has toured both nationally and internationally as a performer and educator and made many festival appearances around Australia, including the John McDermott Quartet’s debut performance at the 2011 Valley Jazz Festival in Brisbane.

In 2013, John received a grant for a study trip to Rio de Janeiro and has completed a Masters Degree in Performance researching the contemporary application of Brazilian rhythms. In addition to his teaching commitments in schools and at the Elder Conservatorium’s jazz department, John works as a freelance musician performing in shows at Adelaide’s various festivals and occasionally performs as a casual member of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. He has also performed for a number of touring musicals including Fame!, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Priscilla, Mamma Mia, Billy Elliot, Chess, 9 to 5 and Hairspray. John recently toured with comedian Reuben Kaye and appeared with him and Gillian Cosgriff on 2024’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala.