Our Team

Artistic Staff

Lyn Williams OAM
Artistic Director
CLICK HERE to learn more

 

 

Mark O’Leary Principal Guest Director, Gondwana Voices
Mark O'Leary (M.Mus, B.Mus.Ed & Churchill Fellow) is the founder and Director of the Young Voices of Melbourne. With Young Voices Mark has produced six CD recordings, toured seven states and territories of Australia and made four international tours to Europe, South Africa and North America. Young Voices recently performed in the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and in Festival Melbourne 2006 as part of the games celebrations. Mark is also Principal Guest Conductor of Gondwana Voices having worked regularly with Gondwana since its first season in 1997 and conducting on all three of the choir’s CDs. Mark is the publisher of the Young Voices of Melbourne Choral Series and his arrangements are performed all around the world. He presents many workshops each year on choral music education throughout Australia and is guest conductor at many festivals. Mark has special interests in Kodaly teaching techniques, the development of excellence in music education and children's choirs, and Australian choral music.

 

Paul Holley Principal Guest Director Gondwana Chorale

Paul Holley is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium of Music where he studied conducting with Dr John Nickson. He has had extensive experience directing school, church and community choirs. Paul is the Musical Director of the Birralee Blokes, a choir for young men whose voices are changing or have recently changed, who in 2006 were awarded the Choir of the Year title in the ABC Classic FM Choir of the Year competition. Within the Brisbane Birralee Voices organization he also conducts Resonance - a choir for university aged students. He is presently Director of Choral Music at Brisbane Girls Grammar School and conducts Choral Connection. Paul is dedicated to excellence in choral education and regularly features as guest conductor/clinician at regional festivals, conferences and music competitions. He serves on the committee of the Australian National Choral Association Queensland branch.

 

Karen Grylls ONZM, Guest Conductor Gondwana Chorale International Guest Conductor Karen Grylls ONZM, Associate-Professor in Conducting and Head of Choral Studies at the University of Auckland assumed the position of Musical Director of TOWER NZ Youth Choir in 1989 and founded TOWER Voices NZ in March 1998. In addition to being the current Musical Director of both of these national choirs Karen also conducts the Chamber Choir at the University of Auckland and is much in demand throughout the world as a choral clinician.

 

Ben van Tienen Guest Conductor Gondwana Singers

Ben graduated from Sydney Conservatorium of Music with first class honours and taking home the University Medal. He works as a pianist for many high profile arts organisations in Sydney, including Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Gondwana Choirs, and Opera Australia. From 2006-2008, he was on staff at Sydney Children’s Choir, conducting several of the training choirs. Also in 2006, Ben’s Three Poems of A.A. Milne won the Gondwana Young Composers Award. Since then, Ben’s music has been performed by choirs across the country, including Exaudi Youth Choir, Gondwana Chorale, Vox, Resonance, the VCA Secondary School and the Leichardt Espresso Chorus. In 2009 a commissioned work I Hear My Song opened Tasmania’s Festival of Voices, conducted by eminent British conductor Mike Brewer. Ben worked as Assistant Conductor on Phantom of the Opera in 2008 and in 2009 took up an appointment as Associate Musical Director on the Australasian tour of Chicago. Following the conclusion of this appointment in mid-2010, Ben will be taking up the same role on West Side Story. Ben is composer-in-residence for Sydney Children’s Choir in 2010.

 

Claire Preston Guest Conductor Gondwana singers
Claire Preston is an educator, accompanist and conductor, currently a Lecturer in Music at the Victorian College of the Arts. Specializing in developing young singers, she has been assistant conductor with the Toronto Children's Chorus and the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus. Claire has performed throughout Australia and North America, appearing at the World Symposium on Choral Music in Minneapolis and recording the world premiere of Harry Somers' children's opera A Mid-winter Night's Dream for CBC Records.

           

Allison Harrigan Guest Conductor Junior Gondwana

Allison holds a Masters degree in Choral Conducting and Aural Training from the University of Queensland. She has lectured in both of these subjects at various Melbourne universities for the past seven years.  Allison has also conducted many quality tertiary, school and community choirs. Allison is in demand as a guest conductor for choirs and lecturer at choral conferences.  She has enjoyed roles as Head of Junior Music at Scotch College and Caulfield Grammar School.  She now prefers to focus on her special interest in vocal technique for young voices and Australian choral music and is the Choral Education Director of the Sydney Children’s Choir.

 

Harley Mead Guest Conductor Junior Gondwana

Harley is a Brisbane-based educator, composer and conductor.  He works with music makers of all ages and backgrounds. Conducting both instrumental and choral ensembles has seen him work throughout Australia and overseas.  He has worked with chamber groups to large-scale events with over 500 performers.  His advocacy for new Australian compositions has also resulted in several world premiere performances. Harley works as a clinician for arts organisation including KMEIA, ORFF, Dalcroze, Suzuki enrichment and several universities.  He loves the spirit of choral music and the unique quality singing has in bringing communities together.

Board of Directors

 

Rebecca Davies, Chairman
Lyn Williams OAM, Artistic Director
Claire Duffy
Nicholas James
David Longmuir
David Lumb

 

 

Management Team

Management Team
P: (02) 9251 4226

Lyn Williams Artistic Director
lyn@gondwanachoirs.com.au

Alexandra Cameron-Fraser General Manager
alexandra@gondwanachoirs.com.au
(phone extension 5)

Rachel Whealy Gondwana National Program Manager
rachel@gondwanachoirs.com.au
(phone extension 2)

Erica Wilmott Indigenous Children’s Choir Coordinator
erica@gondwanachoirs.com.au
Monday, Wednesday, Friday only
(phone extension 3) 

John Nolan Artistic Administrator
john@gondwanachoirs.com.au
(phone extension 4)

Clare Ainsworth Philanthropy Manager
clare@gondwanachoirs.com.au
NB: Currently on maternity leave

Genevieve Lang Communications Manager
and acting Philanthropy Manager
genevieve@gondwanachoirs.com.au
(phone extension 6)

Christine Mackay Finance Manager
finance@gondwanachoirs.com.au
NB: Wednesday only

Cassandra Bayley Accounts Administrator
finance@gondwanachoirs.com.au
NB Monday only