Richard Rourke graduated with merit from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 1988 having studied clarinet with Gabor Reeves and John St George. He spent two years freelancing in London, studying under Margaret Archibald and John McCaw. Since 1992 he has been a permanent member of the Opera Australia Orchestra, performing at the Sydney Opera House with Opera Australia and The Australian Ballet. He has worked under many international conductors such as Richard Bonynge, Simone Young and Richard Hickox, and with singers such as Luciano Pavarotti and Bryn Terfel.

Richard has recorded and performed widely as a soloist and chamber musician, and is a member of the contemporary ensemble The Gallery Players under the directorship of Sydney composer Alan Holley, with whom he has had a close association for twenty years. He has also worked with the Sydney Symphony and the Australia Ensemble. In 2010 he played with the Australian Chamber Orchestra on their trans-Atlantic tour, performing at Tanglewood Festival in the US and major European summer festivals. In October 2014 Richard received grants from the George and Nerissa Johnson Memorial Scholarship Bequest and the PPCA Performers' Trust Foundation in order to undertake professional development in New York with past and present clarinettists of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.

Richard is an artist of Yamaha Music Australia.



Diane Berger has held the position of Principal Piccolo/Flute with the Opera Australia Orchestra since 1990. Before this time, Diane studied under Rosamund Plummer at the NSW Conservatorium gaining her Bachelor of Music (with Merit) and at Indiana University with Peter Lloyd and Kate Lukas attaining her Graduate Diploma of Performance (with Distinction). This was achieved with the support of a Queen Elizabeth II Scholarship, and grants from the Music Students' Overseas Study Foundation and  the Sydney Conservatorium Association. 

Private teaching is also a great passion as well as performing in chamber music recitals.



Sumiko Yamamura is a freelance accompanist born in Japan. She completed her Bachelor of Music in performance with Elizabeth Powell, and a Graduate Diploma in piano accompaniment with David Miller at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She is an active ensemble pianist working with instrumentalists and singers including recitals with Berlin Philharmonic Principal Trombone Jonathon Ramsay, former SSO Principal Bassoon John Cran (with ABC-FM), Orana Trio (ABC-FM), Kammer Trio, Sirius Ensemble and many others. Sumiko has been involved in the premiere performances of many works by Australian and European composers, often in conjunction with the clarinetist Richard Rourke. 

These composers include Enis Mullaj, Eriona Rushiti, Johanna Selleck, Andrián Pertout, Paul Moulatlet and Alan Holley and many more.

Sirius Chamber Ensemble was formed in 2011 by Ian Sykes and Dr Alison Evans and is committed to premiering new works alongside the classics in a friendly, accessible atmosphere. We regularly feature programmes of music showcasing the music of local composers. Recent and upcoming collaborators include composer/performer Keyna Wilkins, composers Troy Russell, Eve Duncan, Dr Diana Blom and Dr Corrina Bonshek. We have presented co-productions with Blush Opera, Hammerings Records and Melbourne Composers League, and a collaboration with composer and saxophonist Spike Mason led to the recording of his album Flying (2017/18). In 2024 we will be performing and recording lost works by Australian composers Margaret Sutherland and Meta Overman by their editor and champion, pianist and academic Dr Jeanell Carrigan AM. You can find more information on our website and social media.

Melissa Coleman is an active freelance performer on flute, piccolo and alto flute. Holding a Master of Music degree from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Melissa has performed with Sydney International Orchestra, Sydney Chamber Orchestra, Pacific Opera, Blush Opera, the NSW Police Band and Singing Bird Productions among others.

Melissa regularly performs solo recitals across Sydney, and is co-artistic Director of Sydney's prominent Sirius Chamber Ensemble. Especially passionate about promoting and performing contemporary Australian chamber music, Melissa relishes any opportunity to create recital programs that point to issues of social justice, equality and shared humanity.

Ian Sykes graduated with a Bachelor of Music (first class honours) from the University of Newcastle and a Master of Music (performance) degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He is a founding member of Sirius Chamber Ensemble, with which he has toured throughout Australia and performed new works by many notable Australian composers. He is a full-time member of the NSW Police Band, and also maintains a busy career as a freelance musician, dividing his time between chamber and orchestral music, music theatre and pedagogy. Ian has performed in productions of Mary Poppins, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story and Sweeney Todd. Ian has performed with Sydney Philharmonia, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Blush Opera, as well as the education programs for Musica Viva and Sydney Opera House.

Dr Jeanell Carrigan AM is currently an Associate Professor in the Collaborative Piano Unit at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney. Dr Carrigan is passionate about promoting Australian Music, particularly the music of Australian women composers and has published widely on Australian solo piano repertoire and Australian composers. Her publications include many books and over eighty volumes of piano and chamber music written by Australian women published by Wirripang, Australia and 34 compact disc recordings.

Sydney Conservatorium Saxophone Orchestra

Meet the dynamic and innovative Sydney Conservatorium Saxophone Orchestra, a collective of Australia's finest student saxophonists dedicated to pushing the boundaries of musical expression. Formed from auditions held annually, this esteemed ensemble attracts talent from various academic paths, including Bachelor of Music Performance, Bachelor of Music Education, as well as Masters and Doctoral programs.

Renowned for its diverse repertoire, the orchestra seamlessly blends original compositions with timeless transcriptions, captivating audiences with their rich sound and dynamic performances. Not content with merely interpreting existing works, the ensemble actively collaborates with local and international composers, contributing to the evolution of the saxophone orchestra genre.

An advocate for emerging composers, the orchestra fosters creativity within the student community, regularly workshopping and premiering new compositions each semester. Their dedication to nurturing new repertoire has led to collaborations with leading Australian composers such as Matthew Hindson, Matthew Orlovich, Natalie Williams, Michael Smetanin, and Brenton Broadstock, showcasing the vibrancy and innovation of contemporary Australian music.

With a commitment to excellence and a passion for musical exploration, the Sydney Conservatorium Saxophone Orchestra continues to inspire and delight audiences, shaping the future of saxophone ensemble performance.

Gavin started learning the Pipe Organ at school and completed an ATCL in 2019. He was Organ Scholar at St Stephen's Uniting Church Macquarie Street in 2008, and plays regularly at Pitt Street Uniting Church.

He has been an occasional Organist as well as part of the Choir at Christ Church St Laurence and for 20 years he has played the organ for the Christmas Eve Carols service at Sydney Town Hall.

For today's recital he is delighted to play a repertoire from the Trinity College London LTCL syllabus.