Mel Ertler (BMus ‘22) is a singer, instrumentalist, educator and recording artist. She is a passionate performer who gigs regularly and writes and records soul/funk music under her stage name “Melita”. At the Alumni Festival she is performing with the QC Collective featuring Tom Bootes on Trumpet. Tom is a current Engineering student and has a strong connection to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music where he regularly performed in The Verbruggen Hall with Sydney Youth Orchestra. He also briefly studied at the Conservatorium, doing Bachelor of Music Performance in classical trumpet.

The Evergreen Collective are a party band based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. They are made up of the professional musicians on the teaching team at Evergreen Music in Brookvale (many of them Sydney Conservatorium graduates). Initially formed as a way for the team to connect with each other in the best way they know how (playing music), the group started playing at community events and festivals. Quite quickly the Evergreen Collective became in demand to play pubs, clubs, breweries, weddings and corporate events, and have continued to do so for the past 10 years. Led by Sydney Conservatorium alum, Ben Marshall (BMus (MusEd) ‘13), now with a decade of experience working crowds of all ages and some of the best young session players in Sydney, the Evergreen Collective are ready to rock/pop/swing/psych your socks off!

Motown & Beyond is a dynamic ensemble led by bassist John Gilmovich, a soul music aficionado who honed his craft at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. With a deep passion for classic soul, funk, and R&B, John brings together a powerhouse band featuring four talented alumni from prestigious music institutions.

The band goes ‘beyond’ the iconic Motown sound, delivering soulful tunes and high-energy performances of hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s , as well as contemporary pop classics. Their performances are designed to get you dancing and tapping your feet!

Joining John are conservatorium alum Fiona Loader (M.Mus.Stud.(Comp.) ‘17) and saxophonist Ian Howard who studied at both the Sydney and Melbourne Conservatoriums. Completing the rhythm section is Simon Ert on drums, who has pursued extension studies in jazz performance from Sydney Conservatorium. Each member has carved out their own successful career in music, spanning composition, performance, teaching, and recording on both national and international stages.

Isabel Tzorbatzaki (M.Mus.(Performance) ‘22) attained her master’s degree in violin, with her thesis and recital centred around Kurdish and Persian folk music and violin/ kemanche music. Her recital included her own transcriptions from the genre as well as some more standard western music that was influenced by the east. Ariel Nurhadi (BMus (Honours) ‘11) is one of Australia’s leading classical guitarists. Ariel’s debut album of guitar duets entitled ‘Alchemy’ was released on ABC Classic, reached #2 on the ARIA classical music charts and features regularly on ABC Classic FM. Ariel studied classical guitar at the Australian National University.

Kathryn Luxford, an artist and producer from Sydney, began her musical journey in regional New South Wales. At age 11, she released the acoustic EP “Walk Alone,” which gained international play. Shifting to pop, she debuted her track "Shut Me Down”, which received praise in the International Songwriting Competition. She is currently pursuing Honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and working with 2x ARIA Award winner and USYD alum Paul Mac. Kathryn performs entrancing guitar and vocals at her increasingly popular live shows around Sydney, and her quirky but catchy pop sound highlights her dynamic stage presence.

Joanne Kim (Grad.Dip.Crim. ‘08, LLM’17) aka the unprofessional pianist, is a classical pianist who began playing the piano at the age of four. She won her first local piano eisteddfod at six and has since accumulated numerous national and international awards, including first place in the under-17 section of the American Music Scholarship Association World Piano Competition and reaching the national finals of the Yamaha Australian Youth Piano competition and the ABC Young Performers Awards. Joanne has performed in hundreds of concerts, including the Sydney Conservatorium of Music “Rising Stars” concert series, the Sydney Opera House World Trade Fair alongside James Morrison and other eminent Australian musicians, and live recitals on 2MBSFM and ABC Classic FM. Notably, she also performed at the AMSA World Piano Competition Winner’s Recital at Carnegie Hall following her win. Currently, she works as a commercial lawyer and performs regularly as a soloist with various ensembles in Sydney.

Jordan Chung (BMus(Perf) ‘22) is pianist, composer and improviser amongst the Sydney creative music scene. He has performed across several renowned venues and festivals both locally and abroad, including the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Sydney Con International Jazz Festival, and Velera Tokyo, among many others. He is the bandleader of acclaimed contemporary jazz quartet Zodiac, who recently released their debut album with ABC Jazz via their Composer Commissioning Fund and were also Jazz Artist in Residence at 2MBS Fine Music in 2023.

Violeta Shopova and Beverly Kwan are a dynamic violin duo, captivating audiences with their performances of classical music and contemporary classical music. Violeta Shopova, currently in her 3rd year at the University of Sydney, is completing a Bachelor of Music (Performance) and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (majoring in Business Law). Beverly Kwan, also in her 3rd year at the University of Sydney, is completing a Bachelor of Music (Performance). The Duo garnered social media attention from the composer, Joel Sunny, of their arrangement of his piece, ‘Luminary.’ Performed at the Chau Chak Wing Museum. Their performance resonated with audiences globally, amassing 24.4K video views. Violeta brings an international flair to their performances, having performed in London, UK and toured with the FAME’s orchestra at the Ohrid Summer Music Festival – Ohrid, Macedonia, and in Bucharest, Romania. Beverly will be an Opera Australia orchestra fellow in 2025 and has performed in Australia and internationally in soloist, chamber and orchestra settings. Together, Violeta and Beverly are working on creating their own concerts of classical and contemporary music.

A passionate rhythm enthusiast, Angie Ngie (BA/BAdvStudies ‘22) has always been captivated by the beats and energy of rhythm games, particularly the Japanese arcade taiko game, Taiko no Tatsujin. Inspired by the art of taiko drumming, they pursued their passion by training with the Australian Taiko Academy, setting their sights on mastering the craft. Now, with determination and dedication, Angie is making their debut on the Taiko drum at the Alumni Festival, turning a personal aspiration into reality.

Nazli E. Sendurgut holds Bachelor and Master of Music Studies degrees from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. A dedicated musician, she uses music to support various causes, performing in diverse settings, from schools and cancer clinics to detention centres and the slums of Colombia. Notable performances include the Sydney Opera House and international venues like the Wiener Kammeroper in Vienna. She freelances as a cellist, performing with Ensemble Twelve88, Willoughby Symphony, and at various events across Sydney. Nathaniel Kong is a Sydney-based pianist, performer, and teacher. He won the Australian Concerto & Vocal Competition in Townsville, performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2. His performances include collaborations with Operantics, Operabites, Sydney Fringe Festival, Canberra Enlighten Festival, Cantorion Sydney Choir, Sydney Male Choir, and the Mosman Symphony Chorus and Orchestra. Trained under Gerard Willems at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Zsuzsanna Giczy at the Australian Institute of Music, Nathaniel's work spans various styles, from Armenian vocal folk music to recording works of Australian composer Peter Stannard. Besides piano, he plays the pipe organ and was the head cellist of the UNSW Orchestra. He currently teaches at Sydney Girls High School and the Academy of Music and Performing Arts.