Margaret began her singing career as winner of the L’avenire scholarship at the Melba Conservatorium in Melbourne where she completed the Diploma course with   honours  in singing. At this time she also attended both the Conservatorium Opera school   and The National Theatre Opera School. She was also very successful in many competitions gaining 2nd place in the Adelaide Advertiser Aria , semi finalist in the “Sun Aria & aggregate winner of the Hartwell Eisteddfod Senior Vocal Section.

Margaret has extensive experience as a soprano soloist in concerts and recitals namely Moomba Lunchtime concerts, Musica Viva concert for VSO, Monash University choral society, Camberwell  Music Society &  others. She also sang with the Victoria  State Opera as a soloist and ensemble member for 5 years .Roles included  Damigella in “The Coronation of Poppea”  Diana  in”Orpheus in the Underworld &” First Shepherdess in “King Arthur”

Margaret also has extensive experience as an actress both on stage & television .Stage roles have included  Linda Loman in ”Death Of A  Salesman” Jean Brodie in “The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie”   Mrs Banks in “Barefoot In the Park”& others.

For television Margaret has had roles in ”Blue Heelers” & “Neighbours”

Twenty-five years ago Margaret established a private singing studio. In that time many younger students have been successful in undertaking tertiary courses in music at university level while more advanced students  have been recipients of major Aria awards and scholarships both in Victoria and interstate. Some of Margaret’s   students have also sung with Melbourne Opera, Melbourne City Opera and Victorian Opera.

Margaret has attended   international & Australian  conferences on the teaching of singing in Paris, Auckland ,Sydney, Brisbane &Canberra.

As President of the Victorian Chapter of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing(ANATS) Margaret convened the biennial conference   held in Melbourne in 2002

In 2006 Margaret was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for both her contribution to that association & the teaching of singing. Margaret is constantly in demand for   eisteddfod   adjudication & vocal workshop   through –  out Victoria and interstate.

Wendy holds both Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Music Education from the University of Melbourne and has pursued post graduate studies in conducting at the University of Oregon and UCLA. She has been a Director of Music at an Independent School for ten years, currently teaches singing at two Independent Schools and her own studio, and conducts two secondary choirs and an adult vocal ensemble.

Wendy teaches students of all ages and abilities from the beginner to the professional including VCE Performance both Contemporary and Classical Voice, and Music Investigation for which she has been a VCAA assessor of both for several years.

Wendy has worked extensively with vocal ensembles and choirs both as a conductor and a singer. She is often invited to adjudicate vocal and choral eisteddfods and has been a National Councillor, Victorian President and committee member for many years, of both ANATS and ANCA.

Suzanne Johnston has achieved the rare distinction of being recognised equally for her success in opera,music theatre, and as a concert & cabaret performer. She made her debut in 1981 with the Victoria State Opera as Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus. This was followed by numerous operatic roles, as well as Melbourne & Sydney seasons as Eliza Doolittlee in the VSO’s hugely successful production of My Fair Lady,opposite Anthony Warlow. In 1985 Suzanne debuted with Opera Australia, for whom she performed over 20 major roles.
Suzanne made her international debut in 1989 as Thisbe in La Cenerentola at the Salzburg Festival.

In 1991 and again in 1992, she appeared as Dorabella opposite Renee Fleming’s Fiordiligi, in Trevor Nunn’s new production of Cosi fan Tutte for Glyndebourne Festival Opera under both Sir Simon Rattlel and Bruno Weil. She has several times been a guest artist on the nationally televised Carols in the Domain and Carolsby Candlelight, toured for Musica Viva, and has performed with each of the Australian state symphony orchestras.

Suzanne’s many accolades include a MO Award (now known as a Helpmann Award), Churchill Fellowship,and four Green Room Awards. She also won an ARIA award for the CD “Perfect Strangers” with Judi Connelli and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Video recordings include Hansel and Gretel, LesHuguenots, La Cenerentola, The Gondoliers, Fledermaus & Pirates of Penzance.
Suzanne is a highly respected adjudicator and examiner, currently runs a successful private teaching practice, and is a Teaching Associate in Voice at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne.

Suzanne Johnston has achieved the rare distinction of being recognised equally for her success in opera,music theatre, and as a concert & cabaret performer. She made her debut in 1981 with the Victoria State Opera as Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus. This was followed by numerous operatic roles, as well as Melbourne & Sydney seasons as Eliza Doolittlee in the VSO’s hugely successful production of My Fair Lady,opposite Anthony Warlow. In 1985 Suzanne debuted with Opera Australia, for whom she performed over 20 major roles.
Suzanne made her international debut in 1989 as Thisbe in La Cenerentola at the Salzburg Festival.

In 1991 and again in 1992, she appeared as Dorabella opposite Renee Fleming’s Fiordiligi, in Trevor Nunn’s new production of Cosi fan Tutte for Glyndebourne Festival Opera under both Sir Simon Rattlel and Bruno Weil. She has several times been a guest artist on the nationally televised Carols in the Domain and Carolsby Candlelight, toured for Musica Viva, and has performed with each of the Australian state symphony orchestras.

Suzanne’s many accolades include a MO Award (now known as a Helpmann Award), Churchill Fellowship,and four Green Room Awards. She also won an ARIA award for the CD “Perfect Strangers” with Judi Connelli and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. Video recordings include Hansel and Gretel, LesHuguenots, La Cenerentola, The Gondoliers, Fledermaus & Pirates of Penzance.
Suzanne is a highly respected adjudicator and examiner, currently runs a successful private teaching practice, and is a Teaching Associate in Voice at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne.

Curtis is obsessed with the paintings of Rupert Bunny (1862-1947) and teaching his son to appreciate the music of Earth Wind and Fire.

He is currently the voice teacher at Melbourne High School and Camberwell Grammar School, he also enjoys a busy private voice studio, Voicematters,  with students ranging from talented ten year olds to off-Broadway and West-End experienced performers.

Curtis sang as a tenor with The Victorian State Opera and for over a decade with Opera Australia. He has voice coached and arranged music for The Bell Shakespeare Company, The Playbox Theatre Company and The Melbourne Theatre Company, and served as a guest clinician and conductor with Melbourne Youth Music and the Queensland’s State Honour Choir.

He has presented workshops and lectures for The Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing: The Victoria Opera, AMuse; Western Australian Education Department; ASME; The Australian National Choral Association and also for Australian Choral Conductors Education Training.

In 2015 he was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for his contribution to voice education by ANATS Victoria.

Australian baritone Christopher Tonkin has developed a reputation as one of Australia’s most successful young exports. Praised for his “sweet” (Opera Magazine), “gloriously rich baritone” (Opera Now), and “dramatic authority” (Chichester Observer), alongside his intensive characterisation, and striking physicality, he is regularly engaged in principal roles in opera houses and concert halls throughout Europe, as well as his native Australia. 

In the 2017/18 season, Christopher returns to Opera Australia for both the Sydney and Melbourne seasons, reprising his recent outing with the national company as Marcello in La bohème. He sings Handel’s Messiah in his debut with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Hadyn’s Nelson Mass with Victoria Chorale and continues his association with the role of Sam in the ground-breaking production of Lost and Found Opera’s Trouble in Tahiti for the Cardiff International Festival of Voices.

Tonkin has worked throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Credits include Marcello (La bohème), Silvio (Pagliacci), Il Conte Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Pollux (Castor et Pollux), Anténor (Dardanus), Robert (Iolanta), Ping (Turandot), Albert (Werther), Valentin (Faust). On the concert stage, Tonkin recently debuted with the acclaimed Lucerne Festival with conductor Howard Arman in Der Tod Jesu (Graun).

A regular performer with Australia’s premiere opera companies and symphony orchestras, Tonkin in recent years has performed the roles of Marcello (La bohème), the Count (Capriccio) and Novice’s Friend (Billy Budd) for Opera Australia, the Black Minister in La Fura dels Baus’ internationally renowned production of Le Grand Macabre (Adelaide Festival) and for Victorian Opera, Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Belcore (L’elisir d’amore), for which he received a Green Room Award nomination, Chou En-Lai in the 2013 award-winning production of Nixon in China, and on the concert platform most notably Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. 

Tonkin has worked with conductors Sir Colin Davis, Richard Hickox, Anthony Legge, Steuart Bedford, Markus Stenz, Ivan Repušić, Laurence Cummings, Howard Arman, Karen Kamensek and Oleg Caetani, as well as directors John Cox, John Copley, La Fura dels Baus, Neil Armfield, Benedikt von Peters, and Roger Hodgson.

A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Christopher also studied at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia.

Margaret began her singing career as winner of the L’avenire scholarship at the Melba Conservatorium in Melbourne where she completed the Diploma course with honours  in singing. At this time she also attended both the Conservatorium Opera school   and The National Theatre Opera School. She was also very successful in many competitions gaining 2nd place in the Adelaide Advertiser Aria , semi finalist in the “Sun Aria & aggregate winner of the Hartwell Eisteddfod Senior Vocal Section.

Margaret has extensive experience as a soprano soloist in concerts and recitals namely Moomba Lunchtime concerts, Musica Viva concert for VSO, Monash University choral society, Camberwell  Music Society &  others. She also sang with the Victoria  State Opera as a soloist and ensemble member for 5 years .Roles included  Damigella in “The Coronation of Poppea”  Diana  in”Orpheus in the Underworld &” First Shepherdess in “King Arthur”

Margaret also has extensive experience as an actress both on stage & television .Stage roles have included  Linda Loman in ”Death Of A  Salesman” Jean Brodie in “The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie”   Mrs Banks in “Barefoot In the Park”& others.

For television Margaret has had roles in ”Blue Heelers” & “Neighbours”

Twenty-five years ago Margaret established a private singing studio. In that time many younger students have been successful in undertaking tertiary courses in music at university level while more advanced students  have been recipients of major Aria awards and scholarships both in Victoria and interstate. Some of Margaret’s   students have also sung with Melbourne Opera, Melbourne City Opera and Victorian Opera.

Margaret has attended   international & Australian  conferences on the teaching of singing in Paris, Auckland ,Sydney, Brisbane &Canberra.

As President of the Victorian Chapter of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing(ANATS) Margaret convened the biennial conference   held in Melbourne in 2002

In 2006 Margaret was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for both her contribution to that association & the teaching of singing. Margaret is constantly in demand for   eisteddfod   adjudication & vocal workshop   through –  out Victoria and interstate.

Bass-baritone Paul Hughes is a graduate of The Victorian College of the Arts, holding a Bachelor of Music and Graduate Diploma in Opera. A performer of versatility,  Paul moves with ease between the genres of
opera, musical theatre, oratorio, art song, baroque and contemporary music.

Paul has performed as a principal artist for Opera Australia, Oz Opera, Cameron Macintosh, Really Useful Group, Production Company, Chamber Made Opera, Operalive, Co Opera, Stopera, Promac, The Australian Ballet’s
‘Sacred and Profane’ and ‘Carmina Burana/ Faure Requiem’ seasons. In recital and as a chamber musician he has performed widely at festivals including Melbourne International Festival, Castlemaine and Port Fairy Festivals, in
live broadcast for ABC FM and Radio National, and as a soloist for The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

In 2005 Paul accepted a commission from the Singapore International Festival and Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival, performing to critical acclaim the title role in Checkpoint Theatre’s world premier production ‘Opiume’.

In 2006/7 as a cast member with Opera Australia’s national tour of The Pirates of Penzance, and has worked in ensemble, as a cover and soloist with the company since 2000.

in 2008/ 9 performing the role of ‘Senica’ in Victorian Opera’s production of The Coronation of Poppea. Also for Victorian Opera:  Baritone soloist for the season launch Puccini Gala Missa De Gloria, ‘Coline’ in La Boheme, ‘The Wigmaker’ in Ariadne auf Naxos, and ‘Leporello’ in the touring production of Don Giovanni.

Other roles Paul has performed include Snug in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Guglielmo Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, Le Fauteuil in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges, Le Tragique in Prokofiev’s L’Amour des Trois Oranges, Morales in Bizet’s Carmen, the title role in Donizetti’s Viva la Mama,  Don Tritemio in Galuppi’s The Country Philosopher, Baron Duophol in Verdi’s La Traviata, Dr Falke in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Lord Mountararat in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, Sir William Hamilton in Stuart Greenbaum’s opera Nelson, Mr Jenks in Aaron Copeland’s The Tender Land.

Paul appears regularly as an oratorio soloist for Melbourne’s major city churches and is also on the music staff at St Patricks Cathedral, He also performs regularly for Promac Productions touring the Morning Melodies circuit.

While an operatic baritone, his vocal talents encompass a range of musical styles including renditions of smooth jazz standards and the classic songs of composers such as Gershwin and Porter leaving audiences charmed.Recent projects include “Songlines of the Hearts Desire” song cycle for soprano and baritone performed with Merlyn Quaife and recorded by ABC fm, Rigoletto and Don Carlos with Opera Australia and the role of ‘Jep’ in Show Boat with Production Company

Paul Barrymore Hughes

Trevor Jones is a musical director, cabaret performer, educator, pianist, singer, and entertainer based in Melbourne, Australia.

As a conductor and musical director, Trevor was the 2011 recipient of the Brian Stacey Award for Emerging Australian Conductors. He is the musical director of Sexercise The Musical and Artistic Director of CitiOpera. Previous engagements have included major concert tours throughout China with leading international performers including Lisa Vroman, Brad Little and Doug LaBrecque as well as concert performances of Titanic the Musical and Dear World. Trevor was Associate Musical Director of the Victorian Schools Spectacular from 2011 – 2014.

As an educator, he has held positions at the Victorian College of the Arts, the Arts Academy Ballarat and the Box Hill Institute. Trevor regularly teaches short courses for the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and has previously been employed as a music teacher at Melbourne High School and St Kevin’s College.

He has performed to great acclaim in cabaret venues around Australia including Downstairs at the Maj (Perth), Chapel off Chapel (Melbourne), The Butterfly Club (Melbourne), La Boheme (Adelaide) and Slide (Sydney) with his shows “By Chance”, “Move On”, “Trevor Jones in Sticky Situations” and more recently “Kollision”. Trevor’s performances bring a unique blend of humour, story-telling and song.

Trevor is the weekly host of Trevor’s Fab Fridays at the Butterfly Club as well as the monthly ShowOff at Chapel at Chapel of Chapel. Trevor has hosted Best of the Fest and Cabaretoke for the Melbourne Cabaret Festival and the Key Change Piano Bar for Ballarat Cabaret Festival. He performed as a part of the inaugural Melbourne Cabaret Festival and was the host of Midsumma Best of the Fest from 2009 – 2011. He has also performed at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and the Sydney Mardi Gras Festival.

Trevor has travelled internationally as a piano bar entertainer, singing and playing in all styles, often by request and was employed in this capacity by Carnival Cruise Lines as well as 5 Star Hotels in Germany, Austria, Italy and The Netherlands.

Trevor is also highly sought after as an accompanist. He accompanied soprano Annalisa Kerrigan in a national tour of Mario Lanza: A Night to Remember in 2010 and accompanied acclaimed cabaret artiste Meow Meow in Noosa in 2014.

Claire is a professional voice teacher, tutoring at Mentone Girls’ Grammar and Box Hill TAFE. She is a member of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing.

With over 25 years of performance experience, Claire has extensive experience singing and teaching in all genres – Musical Theatre, Jazz, Rock and Pop, with professional engagements including high profile corporate events at many of Melbourne’s prominent hotels and venues.

Claire also performs one woman children’s musical puppet shows – “Beauty and the Beast” and “Cinderella”.

Claire has attended voice conferences both locally and overseas, including the UK and the USA. A Certified Master Teacher of the ESTILL Voice Training System, Claire also studied Drama at Adelaide’s Flinders University and has an Advanced Diploma of Music (Performance).

Bass – baritone Paul Hughes is a graduate of The Victorian College of the Arts and ACU, holding a Bachelor of Music and Graduate Diploma in Opera. A performer of versatility, Paul moves with ease between the genres of opera, musical theatre, oratorio, art song, baroque, classical and contemporary music.

Paul has performed as a principal artist for Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Oz-Opera, Cameron Macintosh, Really Useful Group, Production Co, Chamber Made Opera, Operalive, Stopera, Co-Opera SA, Promac, La Prima, The Australian Ballet’s ‘Sacred and Profane’ and ‘Carmina Burana/ Faure Requiem’ seasons as vocal soloist.

In recital and as a chamber musician he has performed widely at festivals including Melbourne International Festival, Castlemaine and Port Fairy Festivals, in live broadcast for ABC FM and Radio National, and as a soloist for Orchestra Victoria, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and as a solo recording artist for Warner/ Chappell as the voice for Bruce Woodley’s ‘I Am Australian’ for Sydney 2000 Olympics.

In 2005 Paul accepted a commission from the Singapore International Festival and Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival, performing to critical acclaim the title role in Checkpoint Theatre’s world premiere production, ‘Opium’.

In 2006/7 as a touring cast member with Opera Australia’s The Pirates of Penzance, and has worked in ensemble, as a cover and soloist ( 1st Officer, 1st Nazarene in ‘Salome’, Megabyte and Cursor for schools production of ‘Software’ ) with the company since 2000.

In 2008-10, performing for Victorian Opera the roles of ‘Seneca’ in The Coronation of Poppea, ‘Coline’ in La Boheme, ‘The Wigmaker’ in Ariadne auf Naxos, ‘Leporello’ in the touring production of Don Giovanni, and baritone soloist for the season launch Puccini Gala ‘Missa De Gloria and Season Launch Stravinsky Double Bill ‘Oedipus Rex/ Rite of Spring’ concerts.

In 2011 for Mietta’s Foundation, baritone soloist for Richard Mill’s ‘Songlines of the Heart’s Desire’ with Merlyn Quaife, for MASC ‘The Music of Brahms’ at MRC and broadcast ABC FM, The Mikado for Opera Australia.

In 2012 for Opera Australia Turandot, The Merry Widow as ensemble and Tokyo touring production of Don Pasquale.

OTHER Roles Paul has performed include Snug in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Guglielmo in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, Le Fauteuil in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges, Le Tragique in Prokofiev’s L’Amour des Trois Oranges, Morales in Bizet’s Carmen, the title role in Donizetti’s Viva La Mama, Don Tritemio in Galuppi’s The Country Philosipher, Baron Duophol in Verdi’s La Traviata, Dr Falke in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Lord Montararat in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, Sir William Hamilton in Stuart Greenbaum’s opera Nelson, Mr Jenks in Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land.

Paul appears regularly as an oratorio soloist for Melbournes major city churches of St Francis, St Michael’s and is a member of the music staff of St Patrick’s Cathedral.He also performs regularly for Promac Productions touring the Morning Melodies circuit.

While an operatic baritone, his vocal talents encompass a range of musical styles including renditions of the smooth jazz standards and the classic songs of composers such as Gershwin and Cole Porter.

Bass – baritone Paul Hughes is a graduate of The Victorian College of the Arts and ACU, holding a Bachelor of Music and Graduate Diploma in Opera. A performer of versatility, Paul moves with ease between the genres of opera, musical theatre, oratorio, art song, baroque, classical and contemporary music.

Paul has performed as a principal artist for Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Oz-Opera, Cameron Macintosh, Really Useful Group, Production Co, Chamber Made Opera, Operalive, Stopera, Co-Opera SA, Promac, La Prima, The Australian Ballet’s ‘Sacred and Profane’ and ‘Carmina Burana/ Faure Requiem’ seasons as vocal soloist.

In recital and as a chamber musician he has performed widely at festivals including Melbourne International Festival, Castlemaine and Port Fairy Festivals, in live broadcast for ABC FM and Radio National, and as a soloist for Orchestra Victoria, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and as a solo recording artist for Warner/ Chappell as the voice for Bruce Woodley’s ‘I Am Australian’ for Sydney 2000 Olympics.

In 2005 Paul accepted a commission from the Singapore International Festival and Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival, performing to critical acclaim the title role in Checkpoint Theatre’s world premiere production, ‘Opium’.

In 2006/7 as a touring cast member with Opera Australia’s The Pirates of Penzance, and has worked in ensemble, as a cover and soloist ( 1st Officer, 1st Nazarene in ‘Salome’, Megabyte and Cursor for schools production of ‘Software’ ) with the company since 2000.

In 2008-10, performing for Victorian Opera the roles of ‘Seneca’ in The Coronation of Poppea, ‘Coline’ in La Boheme, ‘The Wigmaker’ in Ariadne auf Naxos, ‘Leporello’ in the touring production of Don Giovanni, and baritone soloist for the season launch Puccini Gala ‘Missa De Gloria and Season Launch Stravinsky Double Bill ‘Oedipus Rex/ Rite of Spring’ concerts.

In 2011 for Mietta’s Foundation, baritone soloist for Richard Mill’s ‘Songlines of the Heart’s Desire’ with Merlyn Quaife, for MASC ‘The Music of Brahms’ at MRC and broadcast ABC FM, The Mikado for Opera Australia.

In 2012 for Opera Australia Turandot, The Merry Widow as ensemble and Tokyo touring production of Don Pasquale.

OTHER Roles Paul has performed include Snug in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Guglielmo in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte, Le Fauteuil in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges, Le Tragique in Prokofiev’s L’Amour des Trois Oranges, Morales in Bizet’s Carmen, the title role in Donizetti’s Viva La Mama, Don Tritemio in Galuppi’s The Country Philosipher, Baron Duophol in Verdi’s La Traviata, Dr Falke in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Lord Montararat in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, Sir William Hamilton in Stuart Greenbaum’s opera Nelson, Mr Jenks in Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land.

Paul appears regularly as an oratorio soloist for Melbournes major city churches of St Francis, St Michael’s and is a member of the music staff of St Patrick’s Cathedral.He also performs regularly for Promac Productions touring the Morning Melodies circuit.

While an operatic baritone, his vocal talents encompass a range of musical styles including renditions of the smooth jazz standards and the classic songs of composers such as Gershwin and Cole Porter.