Our prestigious adjudicators or “judges” will listen and evaluate the performances. They will be looking for stage presence, accuracy, musical proficiency, interpretation and other musical technicalities.
Amelia Farrugia
Amelia Farrugia is regarded as one of the brightest stars of opera in Australia. Amelia has had a highly successful and varied Australian & International career in Opera, Music Theatre, Symphony Concert, Recital, Corporate Events, Large-Scale Outdoor Events, Recording & Television
Amelia Farrugia’s auspicious debut solo recording, Joie de vivre! was released by Universal Music Australia in December 2005 and released in the UK October 2006. Recorded in the UK with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alexander Briger, Joie de vivre! was nominated for a Classical Aria Award (2006). The first Australian solo artist to record on the prestigious Decca label since Dame Joan Sutherland in 1959, Amelia was featured on national television’s ABC news, The Today Show, Good Morning Australia, Carols in the Domain and on radio as ABC Classic FM’s CD of the week and 2MBS FM’s CD of the month.
Amelia Farrugia runs her own business, Sydney Sings Pty Ltd, teaching singing in her elite studio, sponsored by the SBW FOUNDATION in Neutral Bay. Sydney Sings was founded in 2015. Since that time, three of Amelia’s high achieving HSC students have commenced studies in New York at The Juilliard School of Music, Parsons the New School and in New York University. Her students regularly win major singing competitions and score the highest marks in AMEB exams and school assessments.
For more information or to enquire about Masterclasses and workshops: www.sydney-sings.com.au
Gregory van der Struik
Greg van der Struik holds the position of Principal Trombone and Section Leader in the Opera Australia Orchestra. Greg received his first big break in 1984 when he received the opportunity to perform with Opera Australia. In addition to the trombone, Greg also plays the piano, the piano accordian and the bass trumpet amongst others. In his spare time Greg enjoys composing and the challenge of writing for a variety of ensembles.
Gregory van der Struik has held the position of Principal Trombone with the Opera Australia Orchestra since 1987 and has been active as a soloist and composer in Australia, China and Europe. He studied trombone with Geoffrey Bailey and Arthur Hubbard at the Sydney Conservatorium High School and graduated as an Associate of the State Conservatorium of Music (A.S.C.M.). Prior to his appointment as Principal Trombone, he undertook extensive freelance engagements with professional orchestras as well as holding Principal positions in the A.B.C. Sinfonia (which he conducted in the Opera House), the Australian Youth Orchestra and the Sydney Youth Orchestra.
As a soloist, Greg has released and been featured on a number of CDs which emanate from the Trombonis Australis Project, initiated in 1990 to develop and present an Australian contribution to international brass repertoire. He has performed in Australia, Europe and Asia with the most prestigious European ensembles. Greg has been active as an adjudicator at many competitions and has been described by international trombonist and composer John Kenny “as one of the most interesting trombonists pushing for increased recognition of the trombone anywhere.”
Bernadette Harvey
Bernadette Harvey’s career as a pianist commenced early when she won her first medal in the Sydney Eisteddfod at the age of two and a half. She went on to win the ABC ‘Young Performer of the Year’ and performed in recitals and as a soloist with all the Australian Symphony Orchestras, presenting eight different piano concertos. In 2000, Bernadette was awarded a Centenary Medal by the then Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, for her contributions to Australian Music. She also received the Australian Music Centre’s award for the Promotion of Australian Music as well as the Best Performance of an Australian Composition in 2001 as part of Australian Virtuosi.
Peter Rejto
American and Australian cellist, Peter Rejto, has performed internationally since winning the 1972 international Young Concert Artists, Inc. award (New York). He has concertised as soloist throughout North America, Europe and South America with such orchestras as the St. Louis Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Filarmonica de Caracas, Venezuela, the California Chamber Symphony on tour in Hong Kong, and the Rio de Janeiro Symphony, Brazil. In 1992 he presented the world premiere of Gerard Schurmann’s cello concerto “The Gardens of Exile” with the Bournemouth Symphony, England, broadcast live over the BBC. Rejto has recently appeared as guest artist with the Tokyo, Bartok, Colorado, American, Orion, St. Petersburg, and Miro Quartets. In July 2003 he was invited to be a juror for the 4th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition in Australia, and the following summer was invited to return as “visiting artist in residence” at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne. In 2004 Rejto performed the Beethoven Triple Concerto in Tejon, Korea, performed at Kumho Hall in Seoul, and gave solo recitals at Peking University, Beijing, China and in Dalian, China. He performed at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, Townsville, in 2006.
Steven Hillinger
Steven is a versatile conductor and educator who is widely recognised for his work in both the orchestral and symphonic band fields.
Steven graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1992 from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music studying French Horn with Anthony Buddle and has performed with orchestras including the Australian Chamber Orchestra, The Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra and the Sydney Philharmonia Orchestra .
Steven has guest conducted many orchestras including the Willoughby, Penrith and Mosman Symphony Orchestras, the Ku-ring-gai and East-West Philharmonic Orchestras, the Cove Chamber Orchestra, The Occasional Performing Sinfonia, the Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Wind Symphony and the NSW Youth Orchestra. Steven has also worked with the Australian Youth Orchestra and was shortlisted to audition for the position of Assistant Conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He was a finalist the 1997, 1998 and 2000 Westfield Young Conductor of the Year Awards with the Queensland, Adelaide and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras respectively. Steven holds the position of Chief Conductor and Musical Director of the North Sydney Symphony Orchestra, as well as conducting the Chatswood High School Wind Orchestra, North Sydney Girls High School Symphony Orchestra and Wind Orchestra – leading them on several international tours to Europe and China. Steven is also Musical Director of the University of New South Wales Symphony Orchestra.
Roger Woodward
The Australian pianist, conductor and composer, Roger Robert Woodward, studied piano at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, with Professor Alexander Sverjensky (a pupil of Sergei Rachmaninov) and in the class of Professor Zbigniew Drzewiecki (a pupil of Ignazy Paderewski and lifelong friend of Szymanowski and Artur Rubinstein) at the National Chopin Academy for Music in Warsaw. Roger Woodward made his debut at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1970. Since then he has performed throughout Europe, the USA and Australia. He has appeared with the major orchestras throughout the world and with the world’s most distinguished conductors. As a composer, Roger Woodward was commissioned by the Festival d’Automne Paris for the bicentennial celebrations of the French Revolution with his works performed in the UK, Poland, France, Spain and at the Sydney Spring International Festival of New Music.
Roger Woodward is founder member of contemporary music series in London in 1972 and in Australia in 1975. He performed historic series of 16 concerts presenting the complete works of Frédéric Chopin in 1985. He founded and directed the London Music Digest, Kötschach-Mauthner Musiktage, Sydney Spring International Festival of New Music and ’Joie et Lumiére series, Bourgogne.
His honours include: Fellow. Chopin Institute. Warsaw 1976; KT (Breffni) in 1985. He is Commander of the Polish Order of Merit (1993) and will receive the Polish Order of Solidarity in 2008; a Chevalier in the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2005); Officer of the Order of the British Empire (1980) and Companion of the Order of Australia (1992), where he was designated a lifelong National Treasure by the Australian National Trust (2005).
Evgeny Sorkin
Russian born violinist Evgeny Sorkin has been in demand as performer from a very early age. Showing immense musical talent, by the age of 10 legendary American violinist Isaac Stern had invited Evgeny for a concert tour of the USA including a performance at the Department of State in Washington for the ambassadors to the USA. When Evgeny was 16, Sir Yehudi Menuhin likened his playing to that of young David Oistrakh.
Evgeny has graduated from the Moscow State Conservatorium receiving magna cum laude distinction upon his graduation. After moving to Australia Evgeny studied with Associate Professor Alice Waten at the Australian National Academy of Music and at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he was the first person ever to receive a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Sydney.
Evgeny Sorkin was a member of The International Holland Music Sessions from 2006. He toured many countries as a soloist, appearing at venues such as Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatorium (Moscow), Hamer Hall (Melbourne). Evgeny has performed extensively as a member of the Brevis Trio receiving a recognition medal from the Union of Russian Composers for the promotion and performance of contemporary music. Evgeny has been awarded many prizes in international competitions including winning the 6th Togliatti International Violin Competition, and receiving 2nd Prize at the 18th Caltanissetta International Chamber Music Competition, and top Prizes in Taneev International Competition and Gisborne International Music Competition.
In 2006 Evgeny began teaching violin at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne. In 2009 he became a staff member at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Having had the experience of performing from a very young age, Evgeny is sensitive to the many technical, psychological and musical aspects of working with young promising musicians. In 2017 and 2019 at the Violin Pedagogy Conference in Sydney Evgeny has both presented lectures and gave public masterclasses. His students have been very successful in competitions, including a number of prize winners of the KPO NSW Secondary Schools Concerto competition, Winner of the National Youth Concerto Competition (2019), Winner of the Animato International Violin Competition (2016). Some have gone on to pursue musical studies overseas receiving scholarships in Juilliard and New England Conservatory of Music.