Our Artists

Our Artists

Musical Circles is proud to present a premium suite of incursion Shows and Workshops that feature Professional Performing Artists.

MUSICAL CIRCLES SECONDARY SCHOOL SHOWS

(60 minutes: 40 minutes performance, with 20 minutes interaction)

Minimum Bookings Apply

SHOWS

1. Enchanted Opera
2. Musical Theatre Spotlights
3. Classical Voice Taste
4. Virtuoso Soloist
5. Intimate Chamber Players
6. Jazz Hands
7. Distant and Exotic Lands
8. Out of This World
9. Rock ‘n Rolling in the Country
10. Passioni Vocali
11. Opera FUN House
12. Flutes on the Loose!
13. Admiral King of the Sea
14. Marilyn Monroe to the Charts

WORKSHOPS

1. Perform Like A Pro
2. The Science of the Singing voice
3. Something to Sing about
4. The Show Must Go On (With Industry Guidance Q&A)
5. Renaissance Recorders and Early Music Instruments
6. Hip Hop Beat
7. The World of Hip Hop
8. Cheerleading – Ready, Ok!
9. Cool Metal
10. Flutes on the Loose!
11. Flutes, Fifes and Whistles!

MUSICAL CIRCLES PRIMARY SCHOOL SHOWS

(60 minutes: 40 minutes performance, with 20 minutes interaction)

Minimum Bookings Apply

SHOWS

1. Popular Opera
2. Musical Theatre Showstoppers
3. Magical Singing
4. Brilliant Soloist
5. Blue Notes
6. All That Jazz
7. Multicultural Sounds
8. Global Shmobal
9. Outback Country
10. Opera FUN House
11. Flutes on the Loose!
12. Admiral King of the Sea
13. Marilyn Monroe to the Charts

WORKSHOPS

1. The Show Must Go On (With Industry Guidance Q&A)
2. Hip Hop Grooves
3. The World of Hip Hop
4. Scream and Shout! Introduction to Cheerleading
5. Footloose
6. Flutes on the Loose!
7. Flutes, Fifes and Whistles!

MUSICAL CIRCLES EARLY CHILDHOOD SHOWS

(45 minutes: 30 minutes performance, with 15 minutes interaction)

Minimum Booking: 50 children

SHOWS

1. Nursery Circles
2. Musical Fantasies and Fairy Tales
3. International Flavours
4. Story Time Songs
5. Instrument Adventureland
6. Orchestra Animals
7. Body Percussion Beats
8. Country Life
9. Christmas Celebrations
10. Fancy Feet

MUSICAL CIRCLES AGED CARE AND RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES SHOWS

(45 minutes: 30 minutes performance, with 15 minutes interaction)

Minimum Booking: 50 adults

SHOWS

1. Golden Oldies
2. Jazzin’ Time
3. Broadway Hits
4. Operatic Opulence
5. Classical Masterpieces
6. Classic Waltzes
7. Country Lifestyle
8. Australiana
9. Favourite Hymns
10. The Spirit of Christmas

To request further information about our Performing Artists Shows or Workshops please email [email protected]. Or phone 0404 466 836 / 0401 673 338. We will be happy to forward you a Booking Form with Pricing lists.

Alternatively, you are welcome to submit an Online Booking Enquiry (under Services – Early Childhood; Schools; Aged Care and Retirement Communities) and we will respond to you shortly.

Tim Gaze

Traditional & Modern Blues, Rock, Roots, Surf, Acoustic Electric Slide Guitar, Vocals

ARIA award-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Tim Gaze has enjoyed a long career as one of Australia’s pre-eminent music performers. He has played in the main Entertainment Centres across Australia and in major Australian music festivals including The East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, The Sydney Opera House, Goulburn Blues Festival, The Gympie Music Muster – Qld, The Blue Mountains Folk Festival, and more.

Tim has worked with Jimmy Barnes, Rose Tattoo, Jon Lord (Deep Purple) and many others.

Besides still playing with band line-ups and performing solo shows, Tim also teaches guitar professionally.

Alanya Bridge

Musical Theatre Composer, Lyricist, and Pianist

Alanya Bridge is an award-winning musical theatre composer, lyricist, and pianist. Her work has been performed around the world, including the New York Lincoln Center, Playwrights Downtown, Feinstein’s 54 Below, The Pershing Square Signature Theatre, The Times Center, The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, and numerous theatres arond Australia and London. Sheet music for her compositions is available on a number of websites.

She holds her Masters in Musical Theatre Writing (NYU), Master of Music (Distinction), and is a Licentiate of Trinity College, London.

Also a choreographer, she has choreographed musicals and dance troupes nationally and internationally for over 15 years.

Michelle Klekner

Hip Hop and Street Styles Instructor

Dance and music has always been a passion in Michelle‘s life. She has danced in the styles of Ballet, Jazz, Modern and lyrical, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Tap, and Acrobatics.

Training professionally in dance at Brent Studios in Sydney, Michelle then moved on to performing locally in crews and corporate events around Brisbane. With a desire to expand her skills internationally she took to training, performing, and teaching in the UK, USA and Canada. With 15 years of teaching experience at schools including Mad Dance House, All That Dance, and Premier Dance Studio, she currently has her own dance school, StreetTread.

Daniel Smerdon

Opera Singer, Cellist, Voice Actor, Story Teller

Daniel regularly sings with Opera Queensland and has travelled interstate and internationally for Opera performances. He plays cello for various orchestras around Brisbane, primarily for Musical Theatre productions.

As a graduate of the Queeensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, he holds a Bachelor of Music (Cello Performance), Graduate Diploma in Music Studies (Opera Performance), and a Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance).

He is Voice Actor and Narrator for Musical Circles Early Childhood Music ‘Come Join Our Musical Journey’ Five-part Audio Book series, ‘The Chromatics Camp At The Musical Mountain’, and ‘The Rhythm Rappers Compete At The Musical Rap Competition’.

Dr Karen Lonsdale

Flute Specialist, Soloist and Duo Performer

Dr Karen Lonsdale holds a Bachelor of Music (1988) and a Graduate Diploma of Music (1989) from the Queensland Conservatorium, a Meisterklassendiplom from the Hochschule fur Musik in Munich (1992), Germany, and a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) from Griffith University (2011). Dr Lonsdale was a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia from 2012-2018. Since returning to Australia, Dr Lonsdale has perfomed with Camerata, presented workshops for the Queensland Conservatorium, and the Queensland Music Teacher’s Association, and has collaborated with pianist Dr Hila Yusapov in the Australian premiere of Georgi Mushel’s Flute Sonatina at the University of Queensland.

Brijette Tubb

Flute Specialist, Soloist and Duo Performer

Brijette Tubb enjoys a busy career as a soloist, orchestral musician, accompanist, and instrumental teacher. Recent performances include with Camerata, accompanying the Queensland Ballet in their season of ‘La Fille Mal Gardee’ and as Principal Piccolo with the Queensland Pops Orchestra concert series throughout 2018 and 2019. Brijette holds a Bachelor of Music (with Distinction) from the University of Southern Queensland, and both a Bachelor of Music (Honours) in advanced flute performance and a Master of Music in flute performance from the Queensland Conservatorium (Griffith University).

Raffaele Pierno

Italian Tenor

Born in Naples, in the same street as the famous Tenor, Enrico Caruso, Raffaele Pierno has worked with eight conductors from around the world and has a vast Operatic and Classical Tenor repertoire as well as being a Master of Neapolitan song.

Leanne Warne

Accompanist

Leanne Warne graduated with a Bachelor of Music with Distinction from the University of Southern Queensland and received the Peter Rorke Medal for Best Undergraduate Musician.

She accompanied the Australian Youth Choir’s 23rd International Tour of England, Ireland, and Wales (2005) and in 2017 performed aboard The Golden Princess as part of the 4MBS Classical Concert Cruise to New Zealand.

Leanne is in demand for her skills as a vocal and ballet/contemporary dance accompanist and currently balances private studio teaching and freelance performance with being a mum to three children.

Shirin Majd

Classical Soprano and Multicultural Singer

Shirin Majd was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1981. She began studying classical voice at age 17 while living in Iran, continuing this in Armenia and then Austria before moving to Australia, which now – after a long journey – is her new home town. Pursuing her vocal training further in Australia, her repertoire includes Iranian, Turkish, Kurdish and Spanish folk music, as well as classical solo and operatic literature.

Yani

Singer, Vocal Coach, Workshop Leader

Yani is a musician, singer, performer, and body percussionist. She is also a well-respected vocal coach, workshop leader, director, and events producer. Yani loves to act, move and groove, and is additionally known for her harmony and vocal arranging. Her love of gospel and multicultural music has seen her perform, teach, and direct music all over the world.

Russell Bayne

Guitarist

Russell Bayne would be one of the most versatile guitarists in this country. With more than 45 years’ experience as a professional guitarist, bass and banjo player, he has a wealth of experience from working with many overseas and local artists of international standard including Chuck Berry, Jerry Lewis, Shirley Bassey, The Monkees, Pavarotti and local greats such as James Morrison and Don Burrows. The list goes on…

His music genres include jazz fusion, alternative, country, pop, oldies, funk, blues, jazz, and R&B.

Peter Uppman

Trumpeter, Singer, Song Writer

Peter Uppman’s multi award-winning style is instantly recognisable, receiving accolade after accolade for his work as a world-class trumpeter, singer, songwriter and entertainer. A professional performer of more than 36 years, Peter has a massive repertoire encompassing all styles of jazz, rock, pop, country and Latin. He also possesses the unique ability to communicate with his audience, utilising humour combined with superb musicianship. Having worked with dozens of internationally renowned artists, Peter has also been featured multiple times on national television, radio and media publications, with several of his albums selling via major outlets worldwide.

Geran Roberts

Music Industry Artist

Geran is a Brisbane-based Music Industry artist with a drive to succeed. With a history of instrumental music from the age of 8 years old he believes in the incorporation of a range of different styles to really expand the horizons of the music we know and love today.

He is active within Brisbane and Gold Coast scenes, has performed in Sydney, Melbourne and Lismore, and has attended conferences with some of Australia’s industry leaders (namely, ‘Smizzy’, formerly from the group ‘Mind over Matter’, Simon Cohen from studio 301, producer ‘One Above’, and more).

Working closely with local up-and-comer ‘Trigz’, Geran firmly believes in enabling people to have a voice, express themselves, and breathe love into the society we live in today.

Shaleena Bain

Cabaret and Musical Theatre Performer

Shaleena has been studying and performing professionally in theaters from the age of 16. At 17 years of age, she received a Distinction Graduation from the Trinity of Arts London Academy for Musical Theatre. Following this, she graduated from Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor in Music Theatre, also attaining two separate Stage and Screen certificates at NIDA.

Shaleena has since gone on to tour as Leading Vocalist with some of Australia’s biggest Production Companies and bands such as Symphony in Blue – Malaysian tour, Psyche – Singapore tour, The Australian MoTown Show, Tamworth Country Music Festival, Parkes Elvis Festival, Entourage Productions, Some Like it Hot – A Tribute to Marilyn Monroe, Mamma Mia, Trace and Diamond Divas.

Shaleena was cast as Karla in the Gold Coast premier of Tarzan the Musical and received raving reviews. She is currently working on her new production Vogue – A Madonna Tribute.

Juggling a busy schedule with singing, Shaleena also works as a commercial/TV actress and has appeared in: Marvel Productions, The Star Casino, Bridgestone Tyres, The Making of Princess Mary, and Rode Microphones, just to name a few.

She is a Voice Actor for ‘The Rhythm Rappers Compete At The Musical Rap Competition’.

Taana Rose

Composer, Sound Engineer, Sound Recordist, Voice Actor

Taana is a singer, improviser, composer, performer, sound designer, and guitarist who also undertakes artistic research.

She is a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, and holds a Bachelor of Music Technology, a Graduate Certificate of Music Studies in Electro-Acoustic Composition, and a Masters in Music Studies, majoring in Electro-Acoustic Composition.

She is the sound engineer for the Musical Circles ‘Come Join Our Musical Journey’ Five-part Audio Book series and ‘The Chromatics Camp At The Musical Mountain’, and a voice actor for ‘The Magical Path In The Musical Forest’ and ‘The Diatonics Drive To The Musical Dance Club’.

Publications

Mani C., and Rose, T. (2018). “You’ve Got A Friend In Me!”: The Fellowship of the ‘Others’.

Kathy Williams-DeVries

Early Music Specialist

Kathy Williams-DeVries began musical life as a recorder player before moving on to clarinet and piano. She completed her undergraduate and Masters degrees at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, a two-month intensive wind program at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), Melbourne, and a 12-month exchange at the Royal College of Music, London. She has been a concerto soloist with the Queensland Conservatorium Symphony, Queensland Symphony and Harlow Symphony Orchestras.

Over the last few years, she has gravitated back to the recorder and her interest in early music has led her to early clarinets such as the chalumeau and ten-keyed classical clarinet.

Kathy has played as soloist and ensemble member with Brisbane Baroque Players and Queensland Baroque. In April 2019 she played descant recorder with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Opera Queensland’s production of ‘A Flowering Tree’. Kathy is a regular recitalist at Albert St Uniting Church, Brisbane.

Dr George (Zheyan) Jiang

Chinese Translator

Dr George (Zheyan) Jiang is a Chinese-Australian university lecturer, poet, writer, and highly-qualified professional translator and interpreter. George lived in Xiamen (Amoy) before migrating to Brisbane, Australia, and has taught at the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) for some years.

His former clients include American, Australian, British, and Chinese politicians such as Mr Gough Whitlam and Mr Xi Jinping.

George’s current interests are in teaching, writing, interpreting, translation, and cross-cultural studies.

He is the translator for the Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) versions of the Musical Circles ‘Come Join Our Musical Journey’ Five-part Book Series.