The Melbourne Musicians

Marcela Fiorillo was born in Argentina. She is a graduate of the National Conservatory of Music in Buenos Aires. She studied piano under Haydeé Loustanau and Celia Bronstein in Buenos Aires, and A. Montecino and Menahem Pressler in the USA. She studied Chamber Music with Ljerko Spiller,Tomas Tichauer and Menahem Pressler and composition with Jacobo Ficher. She also worked with Pierre Sancan, Rudolph Kerer, Earl Wild and Carlo Bruno. She has been awarded scholarships by several institutions including Mozarteum Argentino.

Marcela's career has involved extensive activity as a performer, teacher and composer in Argentina and abroad. She has performed in the most important Concert Halls of Argentina, as well as on radio and television. She has performed and given master classes and lectures on Argentinian Music in New York, Washington, D.C. and Bloomington in the USA. She has toured in Italy and performed at the “Musique sans Frontieres”and “Fetes Musicales de Savoie” Festivals, in France; and in China where she performed with the Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra and gave master-classes at the Shanghai and Beijing Conservatories of Music.

In Australia, critics have described her as having “a consummate pianism of breathtaking technical assurance and deep expressive power” following performances at the International Music Festival, Canberra International Multicultural Festival, ANU Ibero-American Festival, Castlemaine Festival and the University of Perth - School of Music. She received the Canberra Times’ “Canberra Critics Circle Award 2007“, for “The Best Concert of the Year 2007”.

In 2008, she directed the Australian premiere of the Tango- Opera “ María de Buenos Aires” by Astor Piazzolla; which received the “Canberra Critics Circle Award 2008”. She has also premiered works by Argentine composers Ginastera, Piazzolla, López de la Rosa, Tauriello, Saenz, Kutnowski, Caamaño, Zorzi and García Morillo in Australia, China, France, Italy and the USA.

Marcela's CDs include: Argentine Music for Piano and guitar; O. Cyrulnik and M. Fiorillo Live; A Voyage Across South American Music; Tango; Piano Works by Argentine Composers; The Greatness of Liszt and Beethoven, recorded live and Passion Five Centuries of Spanish Music.

In Argentina, she taught at the National Conservatory of Music as Piano Professor and at the Manuel de Falla Superior Conservatory of Music of Buenos Aires, where she held the Chair of the Piano Department, until 2008. Currently, she lives in Canberra and teaches both privately and at the ANU School of Music as well as maintaining an active performance schedule.

Jody Fisher

Jody Fisher first picked up the classical guitar at the age of seven and has since established herself as one of Australia’s leading young guitarists, graduating with double Honours (first class) in performance and musicology from the Elder Conservatorium. The music of this multi-award winning player has been heard in festivals throughout Australia and overseas. She has performed solo recitals in venues such as Wienklang (Berlin), Vaduz Convention Centre (Liechtenstein), The Adelaide Festival Centre (as part of the inaugural Adelaide International Guitar Festival), Elder Hall and SANTOS stadium. Jody has been a part of the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Sunday Spectrum and the Elder Hall’s Lunch Hour, Evening Concert and Emerging Artist Spring Concert Series. As well as performing in concert, she has provided entertainment for major fundraising events such as the Cancer Council’s Relay for Life and Catherine House’s (homeless support) VIP Silent Auction.

Jody has been broadcast on MBS and the ABC, most recently performing for the TV show Q&A. Scholarships include an Australian Postgraduate Award, multiple prizes from Recitals Australia, the Michael Robert Poag Scholarship for Guitar from the Elder Conservatorium, Allan’s Music recital prize, Helpmann Academy Optus Mentorship, scholarships to attend and perform at prestigious European festivals, and many more. As an undergraduate, she was the first guitarist in the history of Elder Conservatorium to perform as a soloist with the orchestra, playing on two occasions: Rodrigo’sConcierto de Aranjuez and Fantasia para un Gentilhombre. As well as this, Jody has been an active member in the community, playing voluntarily for chronically ill and elderly patients at the Royal Adelaide Hospital for over seven years.

Anne Gilby

Meral Güneyman

Pianist Meral Güneyman made her orchestral debut in the United States under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas as first prize winner of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra's Young Artist's Competition. She was promptly reengaged by Tilson Thomas to play the Schumann Concerto with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Her Carnegie Hall debut was as winner of the East & West Artists' International Competition. After winning the prestigious William Kapell International Competition at the University of Maryland she performed with Leon Fleischer and the Baltimore Symphony. Her accolades further include winner of the Juilliard School's Chopin Concerto Competition and Naumburg Competition finalist, which, once again, brought her to Carnegie Hall.

Ms Guneyman's appearances have taken her to the Cervantes and Monterrey Festivals in Mexico; the International Istanbul Festival, The American Music Festival at the National Gallery in Washington; to Frederick Chopin Festival; the Presidential Symphony in Turkey; The Sarajevo Philharmonic; the Brussels Philharmonic, the Ljubliana Festival in Slovenia; and to Germany, Canada, France, Austria, Serbia, (including a performance for the Serbian Royal Family)Croatia, Bosnia, Belgium, Italy, England and Japan, as well to many major cities in the U.S. In her role as academic and pedagogue she has appeared and concertised at Harvard University, M.I.T., Purchase and Georgetown Universities, Princeton University, New York University, the Bosphorus University (Istanbul) and many other institutions. She is a two time winner of the Laura Conover Pedagogy Award.

Meral is dedicated to the advancement of contemporary music. She has premiered works by such diverse composers as Dick Hyman, Ilhan Mimaroglu, and Justin Dello Joio. Her ability to move instantaneously and convincingly between the classical and jazz genres is a rarity. Her recordings, regardless of the genre, have been received with universal acclaim. Her recording of the Frank Bridge sonata was heralded as among the five best of the year by Fanfare Magazine. She is listed in "Who's Who of American Women," and was singled out by David Dubal in "the Art of the Piano" for her recording of the Bridge Sonata.

Meral lives in New Jersey, U.S.A. with her family.

Ian Holtham

One of Australia’s most important and distinguished artists, Ian Holtham has long had a special relationship with the great composers of nineteenth century pianism and with Chopin in particular. Ian Holtham’s recorded output includes the complete Etudes Op 10 and Op 25, the complete Ballades, the complete Scherzi, the complete Preludes Op 28, the complete impromptus and various other works which all provide a discography unique in Australian pianism.

Ian Holtham’s achievements across a variety of musical areas make him one of Australia’s most significant musical figures. He is Professor of Music at the University of Melbourne where he has responsibility for Australia’s largest and most distinguished piano school for over a decade and is the Associate Dean (Academic) of the University’s newly formed Faculty of the VCA and Music. He is the Federal chair of the Australian Music Examinations Board and has performed, taught, and adjudicated in Australia, Asia, Europe and the USA since the early 1970s. Ian Holtham is a Steinway Artist and records for ABC Classics and Move.

Monika Koerner

Monika Koerner was born in Salzburg, Austria. She is a graduate of the ‘Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna’. Monika studied under Wolfgang Schulz (Principal Flute, Vienna Philharmonic), Aurele Nicolet, Peter–Lukas Graf and Manuela Wiesler.

Monika won first prize at the prestigious youth competition ‘Jugend musiziert” in 1991. She has toured Europe and Asia as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician with many orchestras and ensembles including the Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, the Niederoesterreichische Tonkuenstler Orchester, the Mozart Orchestra Vienna and has worked under conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Leopold Hager, Ulf Schirmer amongst others. She appeared at various music festivals including ‘Wien Modern’, ‘Allegro Vivo’ and ‘Carinthischer Sommer’.

Kana Ohashi

Kana Ohashi was born in Scotland and moved to Australia, where she started Suzuki violin at the age of 4, studying first with Dominique Gallery and then with Kim Bishop.

Since 2007, she has been studying with Wilma Smith, concert master of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. She is now 17 years old, and is in her final year at St. Michael’s Grammar School, where she holds a full music scholarship.

Kana was the winner of the 25years and under Concerto Section at the Dandenong Festival in 2005, the Preston Symphony Youth Concerto Competition in the same year, and the National Youth Concerto Competition in 2006. She was invited to give her Debut Recital atMelba Hall with acclaimed concert pianist, Elyane Laussade in 2007, as well as a recital with Amir Farid at the Melba Festival in 2008, followed by another recital with Elyane at Monsalvat Barn Gallery in the Young Performer Series. In 2009, Kana was a soloist with Orchestra Victoria performing the Glasunov Concerto in Hamer Hall and also string finalist in the Symphony Australia Young Performer of the year.

Early this year, she was invited to New Zealand to play Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D minor with Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in the ASB Classical Sparks.

Kana was also invited to play with the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra in their 2010 Concert Series and recently has been selected as a finalist in the Kendall National Violin Competition. She has been broadcasted on ABC Classic FM and 3MBS on several occasions and on Radio New Zealand. Kana loves to play in the Australian Youth Orchestra and has attended camps a number of times.

Merlyn Quaife

A performer of great versatility, the distinguished soprano Merlyn Quaife has performed opera, oratorio, lieder, chamber music and contemporary music to great acclaim throughout Australia and Europe. She has appeared with all the major Australian opera companies and symphony orchestras, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Voronesz Philharmonie (Russia) and the Berliner Capella. She has premiered many operatic roles, including creating the title role in Gordon Kerry’s Medea(1993), premiering the role in Australia, Germany and the USA.

This year Merlyn creates the role of Betty in Brett Dean’s new opera Bliss for Opera Australia in Sydney, Melbourne and at the Edinburgh Festival.

Highlights of Merlyn’s performance schedule include Britten’s War Requiem in the Berlin Philharmonie with the Berlina Capella, Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and String Quartet no 2 with the Arditti and Goldner String Quartets and Rachmaninov’s The Bells under Ashkenazy with the Sydney Symphony. 1995-2007 Merlyn headed the vocal department at the University of Melbourne.

Recent performances include with the premiere of Brenton Broadstock’s Tyranny of Distance (MSO), Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 (Auckland Philharmonia) and several performances at the new Melbourne Recital Centre.

Merlyn’s recordings appear on the Naxos, Move, Tall Poppies and ABC Classics labels.

Peter Sheridan

Innovative and creative flutist, performer and teacher, Peter Sheridan has collaborated with some of the world’s leading composers, commissioning more than fifty works for the various flutes. A passionate specialist on the Low Flutes, he has promoted these instruments in concert and master classes, appearing at the National Flute Association and British Flute Society conventions, as well as festivals throughout North America and around the World. An active staff member of the Monash and Melbourne Universities, he directs the flute ensembles, bustling flute studios, and lectures on American Music. Mr. Sheridan holds degrees and certifications from Mannes College, University of Arizona, Goldsmith’s College (London), and completed graduate work at UCLA. He has served on the faculties of La Sierra University, Santa Monica College, and El Camino Colleges. He has performed with the Los Angeles Flute Quartet, the ANAM Orchestra, the Hollywood Studio Symphony, Mannes Camerata, Aspen Festival Orchestra, and the Grand Canyon Chamber Music Festival. Premieres include unique compositions by Gary Schocker, Alex Shapiro, Paul Chihara, Vinny Golia, Andrew Downes, Paul Reale, Adrienne Albert, Hilary Taggart, Thomas Reiner, to mention a few. He has studied with Sheridon Stokes, Judith Mendenhall, Thomas Nyfenger, Bonnie Lichter, and Clare Hoffmann, as well as participating in master classes of Julius Baker, Gary Schocker, Linda Chesis, Wolfgang Schultz, Janos Balint, and Paula Robinson. His flutes can be heard on Move, Sarabande, Warner Bros. Latina, Albany, and Innova record labels.

Elena Xanthoudakis

Elena Xanthoudakis holds a Bachelor of Music with Honours and Graduate Diploma of Opera from the Victorian College of the Arts and a Master of Music degree from the University of Melbourne. On scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music, London, she received her MMus with distinction in 2005. Elena also studied as part of a young artist programme at the Maggio Musicale (Florence).

Current and future engagements include both Euridice and Genio in Haydn’s ‘L’anima del Filosofo’ for Pinchgut Opera (Sydney), Concerts in Poland, Melbourne, Sydney and for the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome with Pappano. 2011 sees her cover at the New York Metropolitan Opera and return to perform at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and the London Proms at the Royal Albert Hall as well as making her debut at the Wigmore Hall.

Elena has won over 80 first prizes in Eisteddfodau in Australia (including the Australian Youth Aria, Armstead Scholarship and the Australian National Liederfest 2004) and Internationally has won the Maria Callas International Grand Prix 2003 (Oratorio - Lied), the renowned International Mozart Competition 2006 in Salzburg and in 2008 she won the female first-prize and overall Grand prize International Adam Didur Opera Singers Competition, the Tait Vocal prize in the Performing Australian Music Competition and was a major prizewinner in Placido Domingo’s prestigious international opera contest ‘Operalia’.

Soloists

Musical Director - Frank Pam

Marcela Fiorillo