Shawn Hui, Lynne Gong, and Dr Simón Pazos Quintana Announced as Finalists for the Geoffrey Parsons Award 2025

GPA Finalists 2025

1. Shawn Hui

Shawn is currently a student at The University of Adelaide/Elder Conservatorium completing his Master of Philosophy under the supervision of Stephen Whittington and Anna Goldsworthy, and Eleonora Sivan. His Master's research focuses on the "Fantasy" genre in music and explores the effects of anticipation, tension, and surprise in performance. During his undergraduate studies, Shawn was the recipient of multiple scholarships, including the Muriel Perry Scholarship and the Patrick Cecil Greenland Scholarship for Pianoforte, which greatly supported his development. He is currently supported by the Research Training Program Scholarship for his Master's research. Shawn is an active performer in Adelaide and has featured in several music festivals, including She Speaks, PianoLab, and the Adelaide Fringe. In 2021, he made his concerto debut with the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1. His performance schedule expanded significantly after being selected as one of three recipients of the 2022 Recitals Australia Elder Conservatorium Fellowship. His appearances around Adelaide were recognised and praised by the Adelaide Critics Circle, and he was awarded the Emerging Artist of the Year Award in 2022. Shawn has also found great success as a collaborative pianist in Adelaide. He was a finalist in the 2021 Geoffrey Parsons Award and the 2022 Collaborative Pianist Award, and is currently an accompanist at the Elder Conservatorium. In 2024, Shawn became the pianist for the Adelaide Wind Orchestra and performed with them at the WASBE International Conference in Gwangju, South Korea, presenting a program composed entirely by modern Australian composers. Outside of his studies and performances, Shawn teaches piano at Immanuel Primary School, Immanuel College, and the Elder Conservatorium's Open Music Academy, as well as mentoring a small number of private students. In 2023, he joined Recitals Australia as a council member, with the goal of supporting fellow emerging artists in their careers.

2. Lynne Gong

Lynne Gong is a collaborative pianist with over a decade of experience performing in China and Australia. She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music on full scholarships, graduating with honours and being named an Outstanding Graduate. During her studies, Lynne developed a strong foundation in both vocal and chamber music. She served as rehearsal pianist and performing member of the Shanghai Conservatory Women's Choir, which won two gold medals at the 7th World Choir Games (2012) in the U.S. In 2014, she was selected as a featured accompanist for an international opera production at the Argelès Music Festival in France – an inspiring and formative experience. Lynne has performed at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center and held a solo recital at Yamaha Shanghai's Egg Hall. Now based in Australia, Lynne regularly collaborates with students for various music exams, eisteddfod competitions, and school scholarship auditions. She is known for her sensitive and refined musicality, solid technique, and the ability to quickly absorb and adapt to new repertoire. Her playing is marked by musical empathy, attentiveness, and a deep commitment to shared interpretation. Lynne is honoured to perform in the Geoffrey Parsons Award final and looks forward to continuing her artistic growth through this opportunity.

3. Simón Pazos Quintana

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 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 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 concerts. Simón completed his performance-based PhD last year under the supervision of pianist Konstantin Shamray. The doctorate was centred around recordings of the full works for solo piano by composer Aleksandr Mosolov and was awarded with a Dean's Commendation. As a solo pianist, Simón performed in the 2024 PianoLab festival, where he presented works by Mosolov, and will feature in the Elder Conservatorium 2025 Lunchtime Concert Series in September, performing works by Dvořák and Turina.
 

GPA Associate Artists 2025

Minas Berberyan

Violinist Minas Berberyan was born in Bulgaria and graduated at the Sofia School of Music and at the Bulgarian State Conservatoire, studying under Prof. Yossif Radionov. In 1994 he moved to South Africa where he worked for the National Symphony Orchestra of the South African Broadcasting Corporation in Johannesburg. During this time Minas became a regular performer in the local music scene, particularly as a chamber musician. He recorded extensively for the South African Broadcasting Corporation. In 2002 Minas moved to Adelaide to join the ranks of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Since then he has been actively involved in the music life in Adelaide, including being Co-Concertmaster during the 2004 Ring Cycle, live chamber music broadcasts for Classic FM and numerous other chamber concerts. An avid teacher and educator, Minas teaches violin and also conducts the Adelaide Youth Sinfonia.
 

Alison Heike

Alison Heike is a versatile violinist, teacher and chamber musician who in 2021 was appointed as Principal 2nd Violin of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Alison studied in Sydney with Alice Waten at the Australian Institute of Music, graduating with a Bachelor of Music (First Class Honours). She was the recipient of a Big Brother Scholarship, enabling her to undertake further studies at the Royal College of Music with Dr. Felix Andrievsky. In 2005 she was an Honorary Fellow with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and worked extensively with the SSO, before moving to Adelaide in 2007 to take up a permanent position with the ASO. In 2019, Alison completed a Masters in Music Performance at the University of Adelaide, researching and performing the complete works of Brahms for violin and piano.

Alison is an avid chamber musician and is a regular performer at Elder Hall, UKARIA, Urrbrae House and the North Adelaide Baroque Hall. She has appeared as a guest leader with the Adelaide Hills Chamber Players, Soundstream Collective, Kegelstatt Ensemble, Artaria and as a founding member of Ensemble Le Monde. Recent engagements include performing as Principal 2nd violin in the Festival Orchestra Four Winds Festival in NSW, at the Coriole Chamber Music Festival as well as appearing as guest Principal 2nd violin with the Queensland and Canberra Symphony Orchestras. In September 2025, Alison is looking forward to performing Bach's Concerto for Two Violins with ASO leader Kate Suthers.

She also enjoys teaching and coaching chamber ensembles, and is delighted to be joining the AYO National Music Camp staff as a violin tutor for 2026.

Jenny Hu

Jenny Hu is an Adelaide-based flautist and graduate of the Elder Conservatorium, where she completed her Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours under the tutelage of Elizabeth Koch AM. She has performed with the Adelaide Youth Orchestra and the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and is a current casual player with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Alongside her orchestral work, Jenny recently performed in the orchestra for Disney's Beauty and the Beast Musical during its Adelaide season. Jenny has been recognised with numerous scholarships and awards, including the Kamala Khurana Music Scholarship, the Florence Jones Woodwind Scholarship, and the Recitals Australia Berenice Harrison Award. She has also participated in international summer festivals such as Orford Musique, Beyond the Masterclass, and the Croatia Flute Academy, performing in masterclasses with leading flautists including Jim Walker, Kelly Zimba, Lorna McGhee, Marianne Gedigian, Davide Formisano, Juergen Franz, and Robert Winn. Currently Jenny is studying with Julia Grenfell, principal piccolo of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.


Janis Laurs

Adelaide cellist born of Latvian parents, Janis Laurs began his studies on cello with David Bishop and James Whitehead at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, graduating with a first-class honours degree in performance. Following then studying with Pierre Fournier in Geneva and Bernard Greenhouse, also free-lancing in London with the Philharmonic and BBC orchestras.

Returning to Australia, Janis formed the New England Ensemble, resident at the University of New England Armidale NSW. There followed then an intense two years in Melbourne as the Associate Principal of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The next significant period in his career came with the establishment of the Australian String Quartet in 1985, after which he began another productive period as a part-time senior lecturer in cello for over 30 years. His mentoring continues till this day. His experience extends over a wide field of music in roles such as Conductor and Artistic Director of the Malvern (now Stonnington) Symphony Orchestra in Melbourne and helping to form the Mt Buller Chamber Music Summer School which he led also as Artistic Director.

For 16 years Janis was Principal Cellist of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Significant contributions to Adelaide's cultural life and music education were his work as Founder and Artistic Director of both the Adelaide Youth Orchestra and the Adelaide International Cello Festival.

Gordon Scott Richter

Gordon Scott Richter completed his undergraduate studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2023 and started a Masters of Music at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in 2025. He is an aspiring clarinettist who has studied with many renowned teaches, including Lloyd Van't Hoff, Benjamin Mellefont, Chris Richards, Edgar Heßke, Frank Celata and Sue Newsome. He was a member of Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO) for two years, before becoming Principal Bass Clarinet in 2022, and Principal Clarinet in 2023. Some of his highlights include playing Principal Bass Clarinet on the 2019 SYO Tour to the UK and Guest Soloist of the Sydney Conservatorium Modern Music Ensemble tour to China in 2019.

Greg Tuske

Greg Tuske was born in Adelaide to Hungarian parents in 1990. He studied cello with Barbara Yelland and Niall Brown, and received his AMusA at age 15. After then moving to Hungary, he studied at the Franz Liszt Academy with Miklós Perényi, and at the International Yehudi Menuhin School in Switzerland with Pablo Naveran, Stanimir Tudorov and again with Niall Brown, and having masterclasses with violinists Liviu Prunaru and Maxim Vengerov. With the academy's Camerata Orchestra, he performed in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Poland, France and Israel. During his Swiss studies, Greg was a member of a string quartet named 'Quartet Lumière' who together won several prizes, including 1st prize at the Gianni Bergamo chamber music competition, 3rd prize at the Mozart International String Quartet Competition in Salzburg, and also competed in the Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition receiving a 'Jeunesses Musicales Deutchland Prize'. Greg worked with the MÁV Symphony Orchestra as a leader of the cello section from 2015 to 2017 in Budapest and the moved on to work with the National Philharmonic Orchestra in Budapest until the end of 2018. Currently Greg is now working as a freelancer in Adelaide, doing solo chamber and orchestral work.