Guest Artists in the Next Concert

Elyane Laussade - piano

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Guest Artists for this Season

Vivien Hamilton - mezzo-soprano

Vivien Hamilton is a Melbourne-based singer and music educator who has chalked up forty years in the music profession. Her musical passions and innate curiosity led her into a musical career in which she has explored seven centuries of musical style — from the medieval era, through opera and into the 21st century — through the prism of historically informed and contemporary performance practice.

Vivien studied with Molly McGurk (Artsong: Perth, WA) and Jane Manning (Contemporary song: UK), David Mason (Opera: UK) and musicology (specialising the French Baroque Music) with Professor David Tunley (University of Western Australia). But Vivien counts the influence of her parents' love for music as a prime instigator in her desire to pursue music as a profession. Her father Tom sang tenor in the Edinburgh Festival Chorus performance of Mahler's 2nd Symphony at Ely Cathedral under the baton of Leonard Bernstein, a dramatisation which can be seen in the film "Maestro" starring Bradley Cooper.

Vivien's singing is renowned for its nuanced lyricism and vibrant tonal clarity, whether she finds herself on the concert hall stage, singing for festivals, on radio and television or on film. She is equally at home as soloist or ensemble player and has performed with Kent Opera, New Sadlers Wells Opera, The Hilliard Ensemble, BBC Singers, e21, Blackbird (USA), 6 Degrees, Icon Trio, Barry Kosky, and pianists Len Vorster, Ian Munro and Glenn Riddle, amongst others.

Vivien taught at tertiary level for Monash University where she conducted the Women's Choir and Rockin' Jazz Swingers and singing at the Australian Catholic University. Whilst on staff at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music she was director of Early Voices 2005-2015 — an ensemble which has produced professional singers working in Europe with Jordi Savall, Paul Hillier, Emma Kirkby (e.g. Ars Nova Copenhagen, Bach Collegium Barcelona, La Capella Real de Catalunya, Las Huelgas, Lux Musicae, Theatre of Voices, Vienna VolkOper, Westminster Abbey, etc) — and also lectured in vocal pedagogy for the Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees at the University of Melbourne.

"A versatile vocalist with unerring control" and "splendidly accomplished" Clive O'Connell, The Age

For more details please visit www.auncienthermony.com

Elyane Laussade - piano

Michael Petruccelli - tenor

Recognised as having a voice of “smooth, velvety quality”, and possessing a tone of “heroic light radiance”, Michael Petruccelli is an Australian, international operatic tenor.

A graduate of The University of Melbourne, Michael began his career as a Developing Artist with Victorian Opera and the Melba Opera Trust as recipient of RJ and AF Hamer Opera Scholarship.

Following his studies, Michael has performed with most of Australia’s leading opera companies. For Opera Australia: Stephen Goldring in the critically acclaimed production of Sydney Opera House, The Opera (The Eighth Wonder); Pedro in Two Weddings, One Bride; Goro in the touring production of Madama Butterfly; and he covered the role of Edrisi in Szymanowski's King Roger. For Victorian Opera: Arturo Ravenclaw in Lucia di Lammermoor; Beppe in I Pagliacci; Der Minister in Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse and Koki in Deborah Cheetham’s opera Parrwang Lifts the Sky. For Pinchgut Opera: Jason in Charpentier’s Médée and Aquilio in Vivaldi’s Farnace. For West Australian Opera: Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. And for State Opera South Australia: Le Mesurier in Voss.

2018 was a momentous year for Michael as he relocated to Frankfurt am Main, Germany to take up a position as a member of Oper Frankfurt’s prestigious Opera Studio. As a member of the Oper Frankfurt Opera Studio throughout seasons 2018/19 and 2019/20, Michael performed the mainstage roles of Ein Italienischer Saenger in Strauss’ Capriccio, Ein Offizier in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Don Basilio and Don Curzio in Mozart’s La Nozze di Figaro, The Gondolier in Rossini’s Otello, the Civil Servant in Martinů’s Julietta, The Young Seaman in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and Remendado in Barrie Kosky’s celebrated production of Carmen he was also a tenor soloist for the Würzburg Mozart Festival.

Michael has been enjoying a busy 2023. This year he has performed: the role of The Cartographer in Mary Finsterer’s new opera Antarctica for the 2023 Sydney Festival (which premiered in the 75th Holland Festival in Amsterdam last year), Koki for Short Black Opera’s performances of Parrwang Lifts the Sky, Monsier Taupe in Strauss’ Capriccio under the baton of Simone Young for Victorian Opera, Silvio and Le Jeu in Pinchgut Opera’s Pleasures of Versailles, as tenor soloist in Britten’s Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and has performed a recital with Coady Green-Smith at St Patrick’s Cathedral. He also covered the role of Froh in Das Rheingold which was part of Melbourne Opera’s Bendigo Ring Cycle. Michael will finish the year appearing as several roles in in Richard Mill’s newest Opera Galileo, again for Victorian Opera.

Michael also enjoys collaborating in recital with various pianists and chamber groups. In Australia he has performed recitals for Renaissance Tours, Music by the Springs, Melba Opera Trust, the Robert Stolz Viennese Music Society, the RACV Club Melbourne, the Kelvin Club, the Melbourne Club, the Australian Club, the Lieder Society of Victoria, the Ardent Crescent Concert Series, the Team of Pianists and at St Patrick’s Cathedral. While in Germany he performed: regular “Intermezzo Lunchtime Recitals” in the foyer of the Oper Frankfurt opera house and a recital for the Frankfurt Museums Salon with acclaimed international repetiteur, Felice Venanzoni.

Michael has also had much success in local and international competitions. Most recently, he was a finalist in the 2023 Sydney International Song Prize. He was a recipient of the inaugural 2021 Honour Sambrook Alumni Grant through the Melba Opera Trust and was runner up in the Opera & Classical category for the 2020 IFAC Handa Online Australian and International Singing Competition. Michael has also been a finalist in the Herald Sun Aria and the Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship, he placed second in the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria and was a prize winner in the 3rd International Ljuba Welitsch Singing Competition in Vienna.

Anna Pokorny - cello

Anna Pokorny is a freelance cellist currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She has the pleasure of performing regularly with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria. As a chamber musician Anna has appeared at numerous festivals and concert series around Australia and internationally including the Adam Chamber Music Festival, Musica Viva Festival, Ukaria Concert Series, Perth International Arts Festival, Melbourne Recital Centre Local Heroes, and Melbourne International Arts Festival. Anna performs regularly with Melbourne based gut-string ensemble Wattleseed and the Melbourne Chamber Players.

Originally from Perth, Western Australia, Anna completed studies at the University of Western Australia, Australian National Academy of Music, and the International Menuhin Music Academy in Switzerland (under the tutelage of Dr Suzanne Wijsman, Howard Penny and Niall Brown respectively).

Anna is passionate about music outreach and education. She has performed in aged care centres across Victoria through the Melbourne Recital Centre's Music Always series, as well as schools' concerts with Inventi Ensemble, Musica Viva, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, and the ACO Collective. She has tutored for the Australian Chamber Orchestra Academy and Melbourne Youth Orchestras, and in 2022 was a juror in the Musica Viva Strike a Chord competition. She has also worked with the music therapy team and ACO's Inspire Quartet at the Melbourne Children's Hospital.

Josephine Vains - cello

Josephine is a versatile and engaging performer, heard regularly in concert around Australia and overseas as a cellist and chamber musician. She has worked with myriad artists on diverse projects including piano trio/quartet /quintet, string quartet, opera, baroque ensembles, contemporary and electronic music, and Argentine tango music. She is a passionate educator, currently training the next generation of musicians at Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and the University of Melbourne. She is a regular tutor for Melbourne and Australian Youth Orchestra, Mt. Buller and Clunes Chamber Music, Pettmann National Junior Academy (NZ) and for iartschool (China).

Josephine is a founding member of Firebird Trio, lauded as a ‘fabulous internal communicator’ in The Age. Equally at home on modern and period instruments, Josephine performs and records regularly with other ensembles including CellOZ, Ensemble Old and New, Ludovico’s Band, Accademia Arcadia, Elysium Ensemble and Melbourne Baroque Orchestra.

In Australia she has performed for Musica Viva and Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne Festivals. International performances include at the Musicfest Vancouver, White Nights Festival (Russia), Longyou Caves Festival (China) and Akaroa Chamber Music Festival (NZ).

Today she performs on a Thomas Kennedy Cello, (1850) London, on loan from the estate of Annette Martin.

Lucy Warren - violin

Lucy Warren grew up on the Gold Coast, and as well as the violin also learned the piano, bassoon and recorder. She was lucky to receive a wonderful musical education in Queensland, studying for many years with Michele Walsh, and developing life-long friendships and a love of orchestral music in the Queensland and Australian Youth Orchestras. Lucy continued her study with Alice Waten and Semyon Kobets, undertook the Advanced Performance Program at the Australian National Academy of Music with Paul Wright and William Hennessy, and in 2012 was a Sydney Symphony Fellow. Lucy has performed extensively with the Sydney, Melbourne, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, and the Opera Australia Orchestra; she also led the CounterMove project with Sydney Dance Company, and from 2013 – 2017 was Concertmaster of the Opera Australia National Tour.

One of Lucy’s great joys in life is playing chamber music. She has been a member of the Strelitzia Piano Trio since 2012 and has performed at various chamber music festivals around the country.

Lucy joined Orchestra Victoria as a full-time member in 2018. She also enjoys working regularly with the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. In 2019, Lucy undertook a Solo Violin Residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity which she found to be a profoundly enriching experience. She was a grateful recipient of the Robert and Elizabeth Albert Scholarship, as well as the beneficiary of a Flair Foundation Award. She is also a dedicated teacher, and is always striving to expand her knowledge of pedagogy and violin nerdery in general. Lucy is currently a violin teacher and chamber music coach at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. Other recent artistic projects include community engagement work in Gippsland with Nat Bartch and concerts with Ngulmiya. Lucy is excited to join the Team of Pianists musicians for this program.