Music
The University of Sydney Alumni Festival invites you to let music take centre stage at this year’s Alumni Festival. From performances like the prestigious Katrina Dawson Foundation Concert to the morning carillon recitals, the festival day will come alive with sounds of talented alumni. As twilight descends, we cordially invite you to join us for the 64th Annual CarolFest, a musical celebration that kindles hearts and unites the community.
See the line up of music and entertainment options.
Bailey Pickles and Hugo Hui
Bailey Pickles is an Australian composer, arranger, and producer known for his emotionally resonant music. A Conservatorium of Music student, Bailey gained TikTok fame during lockdown, amassing over 130 million views for his ability to play songs by ear. His TikTok success led to collaborations with artists like James Bay and Guy Sebastian. In 2024, Bailey scored Vivid Sydney, synchronising his music with the Harbour Bridge lights. His releases, including "Memories," blend piano, orchestral elements, and modern pop. Hugo Hui is a violinist and multi-instrumentalist celebrated for his versatility across classical, jazz, and pop music. His exceptional talent across classical, jazz, and pop music was evident early on, when he performed as a soloist with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra at age 10. Hugo's videos went viral while studying at the Sydney Conservatorium, having over 100 million views. He has toured internationally and collaborated with artists like Tommy Emmanuel, Ruel, and OneFour, winning an APRA Music Award.
Set times
- Front Lawns: 12:15 – 12:45 pm
- MacLaurin Hall: 2:45 – 3:15 pm
Rising Stars musical showcase
The Open Academy’s Rising Stars at the Con is a dynamic performance-based music education program for school-aged students. Supported by the Conservatorium faculty, Rising Stars is a vibrant program where we strive to identify talent at an early age to establish a constructive foundation for a lifetime of musical achievement.
Set times and performers:
10:45-11:15 am - Vths Quartet
11:30 am-12 pm - Lumina Quartet
12:15-12:45 pm - Rising Stars Brass Group
Location:
Pop-up music program
Surprises await as music emerges in unexpected corners of the campus, creating an enchanting atmosphere for all attendees. Pop-up musical performances from students and alumni from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music will transform even a simple stroll between events. Relax on the lawns to the soothing sounds of a cello duet or dance past an indie pop band on your way to grab lunch.
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.
Set times
- Front Lawns: 3:00 – 3:45 pm
- Chau Chak Wing Museum: 4:00 – 4:30 pm
- 2014 Reunion: 6:30 – 8:15 pm
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!
Set times
- Front Lawns: 2:00 – 2:45 pm and 4:00 – 4:45 pm
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. Jess Ciampa began his musical life as a trumpet player but changed to percussion halfway through a Bachelor of Music Education degree at the NSW Conservatorium. He is a multi-instrumentalist at home in a variety of styles of music, ranging from mainstream orchestral through jazz, Latin, and commercial. He has performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Synergy Percussion, the Seymour Group, and the Sydney Dance Company and was also percussionist for The Lion King stage show. Each member has carved out their own successful career in music, spanning composition, performance, teaching, and recording on both national and international stages.
Set times
- 1994 Reunion: 2:15 – 3:30 pm
- Front Stage: 5:00 – 5:45 pm
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.
Set times
- Front Lawns: 11:30 am – 12:00 pm
- Law Annex Foyer: 12:15 – 12:45 pm
- 2004 Reunion: 4:00 – 5:30 pm
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.
Set times
- MacLaurin Hall: 3:30 – 4:45 pm and 5:15 – 5:45 pm
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.
Set times
- St John’s Wizarding Tours: 10 – 10:45 am and 11:00 – 11:45 am
- MacLaurin Hall: 2:00 – 2:30 pm
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 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.
Set times
- Law Annex Foyer: 2:00 – 2:30 pm
- Chau Chak Wing Museum: 3:00 – 3:30 pm
- Law Annex Foyer: 4:30 – 5:00 pm
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.
Set times
- Law Annex Foyer: 11:45 am – 12:00 pm
- Chau Chak Wing Museum: 2:00 – 2:15 pm
- Law Annex Foyer: 3:45 – 4:00pm
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.
Set times
- Chau Chak Wing Museum: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm and 12:15 – 1:00 pm
Annual Katrina Dawson Foundation Concert
The Katrina Dawson Foundation finds, funds and mentors inspiring young women. At The Women’s College, The Katrina Dawson Scholarship is awarded on a criteria of academic merit and outstanding community leadership, in Katrina’s own example. Since 2019, the Annual Katrina Dawson Foundation Concert has been a meaningful showcase of the musical talents of Women’s College students and alumnae of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in support of the scholarship fund.
The concert begins at 4 pm, with drinks and canapés served from approximately 5 pm.
The concert is complimentary. The College welcomes a minimum $35 donation that will be used to support the Katrina Dawson Foundation Scholarship.