3 November

Angela Giblin (mezzo-soprano)

Margaret Legge-Wilkinson (accompanist)

from Winterreise (Winter Journey) - Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

1. Gute Nacht (Good Night)
2. Die Wetterfahne (The Weathervane)
3. Gefrorne Tränen (Frozen Tears)
4. Erstarrung (Frozen)
5. Der Lindenbaum (The Linden Tree)

Prélude pour piano - Un reflet dans le vent (A reflection in the wind) - Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)

Cinq Mélodies populaires grecques - Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

1. Chanson de l mariée (Wake up, my dear)
2. La-bas, vers l'église (Down there, near the church)
3. Quel galant m'est comparable (Which gallant can compare with me?)
4. Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques (Song of the mastic-gatherers)
5. Tout gai!(Have fun!)

O tahidrómos (The Postman) - Manos Hadjidakis (1925-1994)

Angela Giblin - mezzo-soprano

Angela Giblin completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), majoring in English Literature and History, at the University of Sydney, before continuing her studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, after which she joined the Opera Studio of the then Australian Opera (now Opera Australia).

She subsequently became a principal, and sang a number of operatic roles with the company.

With the aid of grants from the Arts Council of Australia, and the Austrian Government, she studied at the renowned Vienna Academy. In the following years Angela Giblin sang lyric mezzo-soprano repertoire during engagements in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Highlights include a commendation for Idamante (Idomeneo) in the Yearbook of the prestigious German magazine, Opernwelt, and singing the title role in Der Rosenkavalier with Gundula Janowitz as Marschallin. Angela has sung fifty operatic roles during her career, and sings in nine languages. She has been nominated for a Green Room Award, and has received a Canberra Critics' Circle Award.

Returning to Australia, Angela sang with numerous Australian opera companies. She also completed a Graduate Diploma of Education at the University of Canberra.

In 1996 Angela took up an appointment at the Canberra School of Music as Lecturer in Voice. In 1999 she was appointed Head of Voice, and 2003 Senior Lecturer in Voice.

Angela's recordings include tall trees, with Margaret Legge-Wilkinson and the Canberra New Music Ensemble, and Gordon Kerry's opera Medea, for ABC Classics. She has broadcast for the ABC, and for Norddeutsche Rundfunk, and has presented recitals in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, also performing in oratorio in Australia, (Sydney Symphony) Austria, and Germany.

Angela Giblin resigned from the ANU School of Music at the end of 2004, and continues to teach and perform. She recently presented a season of cabaret, Afroditi Sings, at The Street Theatre in Canberra, with pianist and composer Margaret Legge-Wilkinson. She continues to teach and perform.

Margaret Legge-Wilkinson - pianoforte

Margaret completed her B.A. (Mus) at the Canberra School of Music in 1981 with Distinction in Piano Performance. From 1983 until 1985, Margaret undertook post-graduate studies in the performance of contemporary music under Professor Alexander Hrisanide (a former student of Nadia Boulanger) at the Amsterdam Conservatorium, Amsterdam. Returning to Canberra, she has been co-director of the award-winning Canberra New Music Ensemble since its inception in 1987.

Margaret has received critical acclaim as a virtuoso pianist of contemporary, classical music. As soloist, accompanist and chamber musician she has performed throughout Australia and in Europe. She has given many local and international premieres of works by Australian and international composers. Apart from her solo disc released in 2007, she is featured as pianist and composer on four other CNME discs. Margaret is regularly broadcast over ABC-FM and public radio including Artsound FM and 3MBS.

In late 2006 she was awarded a Canberra Critics Circle Award for her December 2005 solo recital at the National Gallery of Australia.
In 2013 she performed a season of the cabaret Afroditi Sings with mezzo-soprano Angela Giblin at the Street Theatre. CNME's disc Tall Trees also features Angela in songs by Margaret Sutherland, Peggy Glanville-Hicks and Margaret Legge-Wilkinson.

10 November

Divas on Demand

Travelogue

1. Utopia Youkali: Kurt Weill (1900-1950) Ladies

2. Italy Bel piacere: George Handel (1685-1759) from Agrippina. Natalia

3. South America Por una cabeza: Alfredo Le Pera (1900-1935) Andrea & Paola

4. Surriento Torna a surriento: Ernesto De Curtis (1875-1937) Chamberlain

5. Ancient Greece Ach, wir sind es eingewöhnet: Richard Strauss (1864-1949) from Ariadne auf Naxos. Natalia, Suzi, Stephanie

6. England The Dreame: Patrick Doyle (1953- ) from Sense and Sensibility. Wendy

7. Asia Asie: Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) from Sheherezade. Ladies

8. China Tu che di gel: Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) from Turandot. Suzi

9. Seville De los alamos vengo, madre: Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999) from Cuatro madrigales amatorios. Paola

10. Paris Quis est homo: Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) from Stabat Mater. Olivia & Mikayla

11. Paris La Diva de l'Empire: Erik Satie (1866-1925)  Andrea

12. Hungary Sylva's aria: Emmerich Kalman (1882-1953) from The Gypsy Princess. Stephanie and tutti

The Divas
Wendy Dixon (Piano)
Wendy Hopley
Stephanie Jones
Natalia Melnik
Paola Monroy
Olivia Morberger
Andrea Quaglia
Suzi Stengel
Mikayla Tate
Chamberlain Zhang

Wendy Dixon. Soprano. Artistic Director
As a soprano Wendy has maintained a successful international career in opera, oratorio, concert and recital work, and remains an active recitalist. She is an established singing teacher, currently tutoring at Open Academy USyd, the Australian Institute of Music and her own private studio. She is presently enrolled as a Doctoral student at USyd. Wendy is founder and director of Sydney Art Song Society Inc., producer and musical director of Opera Boot Camp Australia, curator of Cushion Concerts at CHIME and artistic director of Divas on Demand. She is a founding member with David Miller (piano) of Grevillea Ensemble renowned for their innovative programs.

Wendy Hopley - Soprano
Wendy studied violin and piano for over 10 years. She always wanted to take up singing but her career as a physiotherapist and her family took priority until in 2005 she began to sing in choirs and then commenced private singing lessons in 2008. Wendy is a past member of the Beethoven Society of Australia and the Sydney Philharmonia Symphony Chorus. She has achieved AMEB Eighth Grade Classical Singing (HD) and a TCL Advanced Certificate in Singing (Performance). She has performed in eisteddfodau; as a soloist with the Linnet Singers; in recitals with the Sydney Art Song Society; with Grass Roots Recitals; and at CHIME Cushion Concerts. Wendy is Administrator and a founding member of Divas on Demand with Wendy Dixon.

Olivia Morberger. Soprano
Since beginning her musical studies, Olivia has explored both orchestral and vocal realms but has now landed herself in the world of singing. Olivia has performed as a clarinetist with orchestras at Parliament House, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, the Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra, for various operas and musicals, toured with the Symphony of Australia, and performed at The Art Gallery of NSW and St Andrews Cathedral. With her hands advancing before her age, Olivia lay her clarinet to rest and strolled into the land of big voices and even bigger 'hair.' Since then Olivia has sung with Sutherland Symphony Orchestra, competed in eisteddfodau, performed in the Australian Institute of Music's opera gala, sung with the UNSW Collegium Musicum Choir and is a regular performer with Divas on Demand.

Andrea Quaglia. Soprano
After graduating from Sydney Conservatorium with a Bachelor of Music degree Andrea lived in the U.K. where she performed the roles of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Stogumber music festival; Norina in Don Pasquale, Mayer Lismann Opera; First Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Stowe Opera and Rose Maybud in Ruddigore, The University of London Opera. She has performed extensively in recitals in Australia and abroad featuring music of France, Germany, Spain and Latin America. Later this year she will play Icilio in La Caduta with Gandharve and present Mexican art songs with Duo Deconet.

Natalia Melnik. Soprano
Natalia was born in Russia and moved to Sydney in 2013. At the age of thirteen she was granted a place in a children's concert choir Cantilena and later became the choir soloist, performing in numerous concerts and touring in Russia and Europe. Natalia continued her studies in Valentina Levko's Center of Vocal Art and later at the Australian Institute of Music. Currently Natalia is studying towards her Postgraduate Research Degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Natalia is an active performer appearing in lunchtime concerts at St.Stephen's Uniting Church, in the Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra Christmas concert 2016, in recitals at Glebe Justice Center, Australian Hall and others. In 2017 Natalia will sing in the production of the opera "La Caduta De' Decemviri" by A. Scarlatti performing the role of Valeria.

Stephanie Charlotte Jones. Soprano
Stephanie is a Welsh-Australian soprano who has been performing for 6 years. In 2014 Stephanie moved to Sydney to commence her Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Singing Performance at the Australian Institute of Music. Stephanie's performance credits include AIM's production of L'elisir d'amore (2014); CHIME Cushion Concert Series Recitals (2014/15); Opera Bootcamp (2015); Rockdale Opera Company's Trial by Jury (2015); Pacific Opera's production of The Cunning Little Vixen (2015); Operanatics Productions of Cosi fan tutte (2015) and La sonnabula (2016). Stephanie performed the role of Gretel in Engelbert Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel (2015). In 2016 she also had solo section in the Pacific Opera's Annual Gala concert and Australian Institute of Music's Gala and completed her BMus.

Mikayla Tate. Soprano
Mikayla holds a BMus in Classical Voice from AIM and is currently studying her Masters of Music. She has performed in musicals and opera in both Queensland and NSW including most recently AIM's production of Hänsel und Gretel (Dewfairy/Sandman and Gretel alternate). She has performed with companies such as Operantics, Pacific Opera and is looking forward to an Australian premiere of La Caduta de Decemviri with Ghandarve Music in which she will originate Virginia. Other credits include: Symphony of Australia tour, soloist performances with Sutherland Shire Symphony Orchestra, recitals at the Art Gallery of NSW, St Stephens and St Andrews and in 2016 Mikayla attained second place in the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition.

Paola Andrea Monroy Montaño. Soprano
Paola graduated from the University of Los Andes, Bogota with the Bachelor of Music degree in 2010. She performed in Dido and Aeneas at the Colon Theatre, directed by Ximena Bernal, participated in international workshops and master classes. Roles she has performed include Pamina, Die Zauberflöte, Mozart; Amore, Orfeo ed Euridice, Gluck and Fairy, the Fairy Queen, Henry Purcell. She has also sung the Soprano solos in Handel's Messiah and the Te deum by M.A Charpentier with vocal ensemble Iuventus. Currently Paola is undertaking the Masters of Music course at AIM. She is an active performer appearing in recitals at St. Andrew's Cathedral, NSW Art gallery, "the Cushion Concerts" at Chime, "Divas on Demand" events and Nella Luce Studios with whom she has regularly performed since 2015.

Suzi Stengel. Soprano
Suzi Stengel is an Italian born, South African bred soprano who now calls Australia home. In South Africa she performed in many solo recitals with the Friends of Music and Not the Grahamstown Festival. She appeared regularly with the Baroque 2000 orchestra, the KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic Orchestra and with the Early Music Ensemble. In Sydney she has been a regular performer at the St Andrews, the Art Gallery of NSW, and the St Stephens Lunch Time Concert Series. She recently performed with the Hourglass Ensemble at the Melbourne Recital Centre and at the Sydney Opera House. Over the years she has directed various choirs and vocal ensembles. Suzi is also the creative director of Artists Central and has recently completed the Masters of Music program at the Australian Institute of Music.

Chamberlain Zhang – Tenor
Chamberlain graduated from the University of New South Wales in 2013 majoring in philosophy, after being heavily involved in the music and theatre programs at the university. Whilst he has performed at weddings, cafes and functions as a jazz and pop singer, since 2012 he has undertaken classical vocal studies with the soprano Wendy Dixon and repetiteur Simon Kenway.  As an auditioned member of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (Symphony Chorus), he has sung with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of such Maestros as Sir Andrew Davies, Vladimir Ashkenazy and David Robertson."

17 November

Geoffrey Carman (baritone) &
Mark Quarmby (pianoforte)

Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn from Cantata No. 152 Tritt auf die Glaubensbahn 
-  J.S. Bach (1685 - 1750)

Italian
Vittoria mio core  -  Giacomo Carrissimi (1605 - 1674)
Danza danza fanciulla gentile  -  Francesco Durante (1685 - 1755)

German
Am Bach im Frühling  -  Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828)
Geliebte Schöne from Jugendlieder  -  Alban Berg (1885 - 1935)

English
Bright is the Ring of Words from Songs of Travel  -  Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958) 
Thus Saith the Lord from The Messiah   -  Georg Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)

Opera
Lascia amor from Orlando -  Georg Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)
Sorge infausta una procella from Orlando  -  Georg Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)

French Song
Chanson à boire from Don Quichotte à Dulcinée  -  Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)

Geoffrey Carman is currently completing a Combined Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Music Studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, under tutelage of Anke Hoeppner Ryan. This year, Geoffrey performed in the ensemble for the Sydney Conservatorium Opera School production of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, and Operantics' award-nominated production of Strauss' Die Fledermaus. Earlier this year, he was involved in the St Stephen's Uniting Church Good Friday service, performing the Baritone Solo in Maunder's Olivet to Calvary. Geoffrey is also the winner of the 2017 Ryde Eisteddfod Lieder prize. This followed previous successes in the 2016 Ryde Eisteddfod, where he was awarded 1st place in the Sacred Solo and 3rd place in the Musical Theatre & Operetta sections. Geoffrey performs regularly with Sydney Chamber Choir, and is a former chorister with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and Sydney Conservatorium Chamber Choir.

Mark Quarmby graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium studying organ under Norman Johnston and piano under Marjorie Hesse. He has given recitals throughout Australia, Europe, North America, Asia and New Zealand. For over 20 years he was associated with the music of St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney, playing the organ for national live broadcasts, visits of the Queen, funerals of State governors and national memorial services. In August 2009 he was appointed Director of Music at St Stephen's, Macquarie Street. 

In Europe he has played in the Cathedrals of St Paul's, London, Canterbury, Salisbury, Oxford, Winchester, Lichfield, Westminster Abbey plus Notre-Dame, Paris, with recitals in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, and Holland. In 2009 he gave the opening recital of the American Guild of Organists Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, playing a whole program devoted to organ music written by Australian composers. 

He has been the President of the Organ Music Society of Sydney, has served on the committee of the Royal School of Church Music (NSW) and is currently a National Director of the Organ Historical Trust of Australia and teaches piano, organ and musicianship at St Patrick's College, Strathfield, and privately. ​

24 November

Nico Tjoelker (organ)