Dr Nathan Henshaw is an internationally renowned saxophonist recognised for his ability to excel in a great diversity of genres and styles. His commitment to promoting the musical multiplicity of the saxophone has resulted in the creation of numerous new works for saxophone, across a broad range of styles.

From solo classical performances to jazz gigs, Nathan's work as a freelance musician has seen him perform with a diverse range of outstanding performers including prominent classical, jazz and commercial artists as well as orchestras and ensembles. He is currently Principal tenor saxophonist with the NSW Police Band. Nathan is also a member of the Nexas Quartet: one of Australia's leading Chamber Music Ensembles.

Nathan has toured extensively within Australia and overseas playing at many prestigious concerts and festivals including various international saxophone conferences and chamber music festivals.

Nathan is a Selmer (Paris), D'Addario & Silverstein Works artist.

Tim Fisher is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music receiving a Bachelor of Jazz Performance in piano. While at the Con he studied with Judy Bailey, Mike Nock and Matt McMahon, and harpsichord with Neal Perez da Costa. He was a long time member of the Craig Scott Quintet, and also featured in John Morrison's rhythm section for a number of years. He was a Freedman Jazz Fellowship Nominee in 2019. He has performed with James Morrison, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, George Golla, Jeff Clayton (USA) Bobby Rydell (USA), Wendy Matthews, Gregg Arthur, Dan Barnett, Phil Burton (Human Nature), Nic Jeffries, Emma Pask, Marie Wilson, Catherine Hunter, Jacki Cooper, Glen Shorrock (LRB), Swing City, Dave Panichi Big Band, The Sydney Jazz Orchestra to name a few. Since June 2014, he has been working as full time pianist with the NSW Police Concert band and continues to perform as a freelance solo pianist/accompanist outside of these commitments.

Helen Xu - flute

Helen began her musical journey with piano at the age of 6, before delving into flute studies during her early high school years. Her dedication to musical excellence has earned her recognition in various eisteddfods across Southern Sydney, as well as her Licentiate diploma in Music (LmusA) with Distinction for piano. After picking up the flute at the age of 12, Helen has played with local wind orchestras and in musical productions during her high school and university years, and since completed her Associate Diploma in Music for flute.

Alongside music, Helen's interest in psychology led her to graduate with a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) with a major in music. Outside of her work as a researcher in the social sector, Helen has been a private music teacher for the past 6 years, where she discovered her affinity for teaching; she enjoys equipping students with musical skills, while nurturing their love for music.

Aspiring to perform more chamber music and collaborate with other musicians in the future, Helen continues to make meaningful contributions to her musical fields. 



Li Qing Koh - pianoforte

Malaysian-born Li Qing Koh, also known as Jacquelyn, holds a master's degree in music (Performance) from Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Under the tutelage of Australian concert pianists Prof. Gerard Willems AM, Lyall Duke, Eugene Choi, Dr. Paul Rickard-Ford, Chee Su Yen, and Yong Sue Yi, she completed her studies with a thesis supervised by Dr. Helen Mitchell. Jacquelyn received chamber coaching from Dr. Park Ji-Sook, Dr. Kirill Monorosi, Dr. Cheong Yew Choong, and Ysan Suit Yin, and attended masterclasses with Dr. Julie Bee and Sonya Lifschitz. Additionally, she had one-on-one sessions with Prof. Lev Natochenny and holds a Licentiate diploma from Trinity College London with Distinction. Active as a solo performer, collaborative pianist, researcher, and Kodaly educator in Malaysia, Australia, and Indonesia, Jacquelyn participated in the Southeast Asia Music Exchange (SEAMEX) in Indonesia in 2019, where she presented her Master's thesis on musical instrument performance enhancement. Passionate about chamber music, she frequently performs various chamber repertoire and collaborates with other musicians for chamber recitals.



Hikaru Fuminashi - violoncello

Hikaru Fuminashi began his studies on the cello when he was eight, at the Sydney Conservatorium's Open Academy with Rosalind Graham, continuing his studies till moving to the Conservatorium High School and attending the Conservatorium's Rising Stars program, studying under Susan Blake.

Winning the Conservatorium High School's Concerto Competition, playing Shostakovich's 1st Cello Concerto, lead him to perform the piece with the Penrith Symphony Orchestra at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in the same year. Receiving the Corina D Mayer String Scholarship at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music studying under Julian Smiles, he lead the cello section for the Conservatorium's Symphony Orchestra.

Hikaru then moved on to study at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he studied with Hannah Roberts as a recipient of the Jellis Bequest Scholarship, and was a finalist of the Barbirolli Prize for Cello. During his studies at the RNCM he also performed with the Ormskirk Music Society playing the Dvorak Cello Concerto.

Dr Natalia Melnik
(Soprano, Singing teacher, Russian Diction Coach)

Natalia was born in Moscow and moved to Sydney in 2013. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, with her research focused on making Russian vocal music more accessible to non-Russian-speaking singers. Natalia is the founder of the "Russian For Singers" project that helps hundreds of singers from around the world explore Russian vocal music. In 2017-2019, Natalia sang the roles of Valeria in Alessandro Scarlatti's "La Caduta De' Decemviri", Marcella in "Boheme a piacere", Princess Tamara in the play "Demon", Clara Schumann in "Happy Birthday, Clara!". During 2021-2025, Natalia created and performed a number of chamber concert programs. Natalia's recordings are available on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms.


Kerry Nicholson (soprano)

Kerry studied voice and opera at the Sydney Conservatorium and has performed with Opera Australia Chorus, Cantillation, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Rockdale Opera. Kerry has been the soprano soloist in concert with the Strathfield Symphony, Willoughby Symphony and Manly-Warringah Choir and Symphony.

Recent opera performances include Rusalka with The Opera and Song Collective (TOSC), Gerhilde in Ride of the Valkyries with the Willoughby Symphony, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and Violetta in La Traviata with Opera Lirica.

Kerry is currently preparing the roles of Leonore Il Trovatore and Agathe Der Freischütz and will perform in several upcoming concerts including Mozart's Missa Brevis on September 14, Puccini Repertoire with Opera Lirica on September 20 and 21, Verdi Repertoire with TOSC on November 9 and Handel's Messiah with River City Voices on December 6.


Suzi Stengel (soprano)

Suzi Stengel, a soprano of international acclaim from Rome, Italy, was raised in South Africa and now calls Australia home. This means she has an Italian temperament, a South African accent and a Masters of Music, obtained in Sydney, Australia. In Durban Suzi's musical journey began with the KZNPO (KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra), performing in Berlioz's "Le Nuit D'ete," marking the onset of her career.

Her talent quickly gained her recognition, leading to numerous guest soloist engagements with the KZNPO. Suzi's passion for solo performance saw her captivating audiences through solo recitals hosted by the Friends of Music and Not the Grahamstown Festival, alongside a number of appearances with the Baroque 2000 Orchestra and The Early Music Ensemble.

In Sydney, she collaborated with the Hourglass Ensemble in programs like 'Hourglass Beach' and 'Danzas Amarosas' at iconic venues like the Sydney Opera House and the Melbourne Recital Centre. Additionally, she performed as Mimi in 'La Boheme a piacere' at The Independent Theatre in Sydney. She has performed regularly at The Art Gallery of NSW, St Andrews and St Stephens in their lunchtime recital series, and throughout Sydney and the Central Coast as a solo recitalist. 

Suzi's repertoire extends to paying tribute to history, with her participation in the "Salute to the Anzacs" Concert with Coast Opera Australia at the Central Coast Stadium. In 2022 and 2024, in a return to her roots, Suzi celebrated her 'home-coming' with recitals in Durban, accompanied by Dr Andrew Warburton.  She continues the legacy of enchanting performances on both national and international stages.


Lisa Munckton originally studied voice through the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and later at the University of Queensland. Her early years saw her perform as a soloist in Tasmania with local orchestras, such as the Derwent Symphony Orchestra and the University of Tasmania Symphony Orchestra, in works ranging from Handel's Messiah through to new works by young Australian composers.

Lisa moved to Queensland in her early 20s. There she enjoyed working in the chorus of the Lyric Opera of Queensland in 1992 in addition to performing with various smaller ensembles. Lisa also performed as a soloist at the Lyric Theatre in a program of opera excerpts with the Guiseppe Verdi Choral Society.

Lisa's love of opera developed early, and over the years she has performed roles in amateur opera and light opera companies. These roles include: CioCiosan (Madame Butterfly) - The Australian Italian Opera Company, Diana (Orpheus in the Underworld) - The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Tasmania, Pitti Sing (The Mikado) - The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Tasmania, Casilda (The Gondoliers) and Sister Genevieve (Suor Angelica) – Rockdale Opera Company.

Overseas travel, a career in Finance and then a family meant a long pause to vocal pursuits. Since returning to singing in Sydney Lisa has delved more into the zwischenfach repertoire and discovered her mezzo qualities. Her most recent roles have been Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor – Rockdale Opera Company, 2024) and Jezibabah (Rusalka) - The Opera and Song Collective, 2024). Later this year she will appear in the role of Madame Flora in Rockdale Opera Company's season of La Traviata.

Lisa also performs as a soloist in various opera and art song concerts, most recently with the Opera and Song Collective at the Mosman Art Gallery. She enjoys performing a wide range of repertoire (opera, light opera, art song and oratorio) for a variety of groups in other venues such as the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, St Stephens Church in Sydney, and Pitt Street Uniting church, and in September this year she will be appearing with Chiaroscuro Ensemble in a concert of French repertoire at Killara Uniting Church.


Based in Sydney, Louise Keast's voice has been described as a "splendid lyric soprano instrument" with the capacity to "rattle the walls". Louise debuted with the Opera Australia Chorus in the 2021 Melbourne Season production of Aida. She has since performed more than thirty operas as a chorister and became a permanent member of the Opera Australia Chorus in 2022. A particularly treasured opportunity was performing alongside her colleagues as soprano soloist in Fauré's Requiem in 2024. In February 2024 Louise performed her mainstage debut at the Sydney Opera House in the role of Papagena (The Magic Flute). Other roles and covers with Opera Australia include Freia (Das Rheingold), Spirits (Cinderella), Le Novizie (Il Trittico), First Page (Tannhäuser) and Cretan (Idomeneo). In 2025 Louise coached the role of Violetta Valéry (La Traviata) at Opera Australia, and is covering Frasquita (Carmen) in Sydney and Melbourne.

Earlier in her career, Louise performed the role of Fiordiligi in the Green Room Award nominated production of Così fan tutte (IOpera), and was a Richard Divall Emerging Artist with Melbourne Opera. Additionally, Louise has performed with Victorian Opera, Operantics, Gertrude Opera, BK Opera, National Opera, Port Fairy Spring Music Festival and the Mediterranean Opera Studio, Sicily. She has presented solo operatic recitals at the Festival Junger Künstler, Bayreuth, in Germany. 


Born in South Korea, Dr Eun-Jung Byun is an accomplished musician who has already established herself in the Australian music scene as a leading member of the new generation of professional collaborative pianists. She has exceptional skills as a vocal accompanist and chamber musician, and has had impressive success as a teacher, coach and entrepreneur. 

Eun-Jung holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Performance, both majoring in piano accompaniment, from the University of Sydney. During her postgraduate studies, she was selected to take part in the student exchange program at the Royal Academy of Music, London. She completed her Doctor of Musical Arts on the development of Korean art song based on poetry from the Japanese Occupation Period (1910-1945). 

A member of the Accompanists' Guild of NSW and the collaborative pianist for the Pacific Opera Studio, Eun-Jung has appeared in the Melbourne International Festival of Lieder and Art Song, Festival of Art Song hosted by the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Since 2005, Eun-Jung was a staff pianist for the Voice and Opera Studies division and is currently an Associate Lecturer in Collaborative Piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.