Connor Whyte
As 2022’s Adelaide International Guitar Festival Classical Guitar Competition champion, Connor Whyte is quickly establishing himself as a sublime concert-guitarist. And having completed Secondary education and attaining the Australian Licentiate in Music at just sixteen years of age, this ascent to virtuosity has been sharp.
Progressing with Oliver Fartach-Naini, Connor was afforded valuable experience as a Concerto Soloist with the Elder Conservatorium Chamber Orchestra, alongside masterclasses with Slava Grigoryan, Tim Kain, José Maria Gallardo Del Rey, Martha Masters, Andras Csaki, and the Beijing Guitar Duo (Su Meng & Wang Yameng); all-the-while accruing extracurricular acclamation as repeat First-Prize winner in the Adelaide Eisteddfod Society’s open-aged division, and as a 5MBS Radio Young Virtuoso Award finalist in 2021 and 2022. A lauded soloist in the AIGF’s Backstage Sessions Live, he was also the Festival’s youngest Finalist in each year en-route to the aforementioned prestigious title.
Ensuingly, Connor graduated with an Advanced Bachelor of Music from The University of Adelaide, prizing first in the Elder Conservatorium’s Top Class award concert, and has since gained acceptance into the Honours program at the Australian National University to study further with Minh Le Hoang. Connor Whyte performs with the fine traditional luthiery of Domenic Roscioli, as well as his coveted, prize-won Jim Redgate double-top.
Jacob Wu
Currently studying under Dr. Scott Davie, Jacob combines his degree in Music with PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics). Most recently, he won Second Prize at the Whitworth Roach Classical Competition in October. He is also the recipient of the Dennis Griffin Piano Undergraduate Scholarship, and the Wesley Music Scholarship for Organ from 2018-2020, and again on Piano and Organ this year. His notable performances in the past year have included performing for the Governor-General at Government House, and with the ANU Orchestra on celesta. Jacob is also an ardent teacher and have taken his students from complete beginners to AMusA. His pedagogy focuses on a comprehensive understanding of musical elements, including harmony, form, and musical narrative, in the effort to strengthen the enthusiasm and appreciation for music with his students. He also accompanies the Woden Valley Youth Choir.
Lucas Allerton
Lucus Allerton graduated from the ANU School of Music with Honours in Piano in mid-2013. In 2012 he won the overall Margaret Smiles Accompaniment Prize and in 2010 the prize for Best Vocal Accompanist. He was a finalist in the 2013 Sydney Eisteddfod’s Victoria Jennifer Warren Piano Accompaniment Award. Lucus has accompanied and conducted a variety of choirs, including Strange Weather Choir, Canberra Community Chorale, choirs of Canberra Grammar and St Edmunds, and Canberra Choral Society choirs. He is employed as an associate artist at the Australian National University’s School of Music, and conducts the recently formed Centauri Voices of the Woden Valley Youth Choir.
Michael Sollis
Michael Sollis is an interdisciplinary artist who promotes how the arts can nurture creative mindsets which generate new ideas. This has included work as founder, composer, and director of the Griffyn Ensemble, and the very first Artistic Director, Education for Musica Viva Australia. As a teaching artist Michael has facilitated projects in places such as Scottish prisons, Egyptian schools, work in urban, rural and remote schools across Australia; and lecturing composition at the Australian National University. His work on sung stories in the Papua New Guinea highlands is published by ANU E-Press and the Australian Journal of Linguistics. Michael was one of several artists who brought together the ACT Creative community to form the Canberra Artists Action Group, and was the founding chair of the International Music Council ‘s Youth Board. Michael was born and raised on Ngunnawal country, following the footsteps of custodians who have listened to this land for centuries.
The classes give students the tools to spark their creativity and discover their unique way of understanding the world through music. Students will develop creative expression led by one of Australia’s leading teaching artists through making and learning songs, dance, performing on instruments, and other creative activities.
Karen Telese
From a very young age I was fascinated with the visual world around me. In a gallery I would gaze at an artwork and be transported to a magical place. I couldn’t comprehend the art at the time but eventually with years of practice and study I began to also share in the understanding and the celebration of creating art. My artwork was mainly in drawing and printmaking during the 1980’s. Through the next two decades I studied fine arts and started a family. My greatest creation to date!
I have three lovely children along with a very supportive partner and super-dad to our children.
Living locally and seeing our children go through Aranda Primary School, I have had a very special opportunity to be involved with the visual Arts at Aranda Primary in so many ways and over so many years. Some of these projects can still be viewed around the school.
These days my most recent commissions have been mosaics for schools and for individual clients.