One of Australia’s most experienced and popular conductors whose association with Opera Scholars Australia goes back many years. He has conducted Opera in the Alps, Beechworth and Opera in the Market, Melbourne for 10 years and his mentorship has been invaluable for young singers to gain performance experience.

Silvie Paladino is one of Australia’s most versatile and talented entertainers. She has featured at many special events such as the world-wide telecast of the Rugby League Grand Final and the AFL Grand Final. Apart from her many theatrical credits, she is well known to Australian audiences through her regular appearances on Carols by Candlelight for the Nine Network.

Teddy is Australia’s most popular bass baritone and has an established international career in opera and concert performance. He has received many awards, is a Patron of Opera Scholars Australia and believes in supporting and encouraging young artists.

Richard has been entertaining Melbourne audiences for over twenty-five years. His theatre credits include The Secret Garden, Chicago, The Producers, The Phantom of the Opera and Mary Poppins. In 2018 he played Jean Valjean in Les Miserables for which he was awarded the Best Actor in a Musical. He is a versatile entertainer who has hosted and performed for various corporates, councils and clubs.

The Melbourne Welsh Male Voice Choir was formed in 1984 and since then it has grown from a small group of enthusiastic singers into one of Australia’s acclaimed male choirs. The choir honours its Welsh roots by singing at least 25% of its repertoire in the Welsh language, Europe’s oldest living language. The choir is ably led by the conductor David Ashton-Smith OAM.

Snack Music is a Christian band for primary school aged children, based in Melbourne Australia. They have written many songs for kids and they perform regularly around Victoria and Australia at churches, holiday programs and outreach events. Snack is a volunteer based non-profit organisation with all proceeds going to local and international mission.

Natalie Ong, is a Singaporean Australian singer-songwriter who rose to fame after appearing on the eighth season of The X-Factor Australia in 2016. She is continuing to record and release music and appear on stage and in films. Natalie travelled to China to spend most of 2020 touring, however due to COVID returned to Melbourne, where she continues to create and record her music

Mel Searle is one of Melbourne’s premier jazz vocalists, performing regularly with some of the country’s top jazz musicians. She is a regular at one of Melbourne’s premier jazz venues, The Paris Cat Jazz Club, and her ‘Ella Fitzgerald Tribute Show’ enjoys rave reviews and sold out crowds. Mel is thrilled to be involved in this year’s inaugural Virtual Twilight Carols.

Chloe Harris is a young mezzo soprano who has achieved many accolades since completing her Bachelor of Music at Melbourne University. Chloe was a member of Opera Scholars Australia for 3 years and was Scholar of the Year in 2019. She is now an accomplished artist with an exciting future.

Emma, a young soprano from Koo Wee Rup, Victoria has been a member of Opera Scholars Australia for 5 years, having exciting solo experiences in Opera in the Alps and Opera in the Market. Her abilities extend over different genres and she enjoys performing with an acoustic duo, Seventh Winter. Her goal is to extend her training and performance experience in Europe.

Catherine is a regular performer in concert and in musical theatre and opera productions. She has won Music Theatre Guild awards and nominations for her roles. In concert, Catherine has performed with Cordelia’s Potted Opera and as a regular soloist with the Ashton-Smith Singers, including their annual Christmas concert.

Liz has been singing in live concerts and performing a range of roles in musical theatre companies across Melbourne for many years. Some of her favourite roles to perform have been: Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast, Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins, the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz, and Vi Shaw in Footloose (for which she received a Commendation from the Musical Theatre Guild of Victoria).

Our band features some of the finest musicians Australia has to offer. Composer, arranger & producer Jared Haschek heads up the band with Mike Webber on drums, Spike Avery on bass and Dave Tweedie on guitar. Singers Tania G, Mel Searle and Judd Field provide strong vocal backing, with Judd to lead some of the carols. Our horn section features Tom Kenneth, Lachlan Smith, Cal Barry and Phill Reichman.

Opera Scholars Australia is a leading vocal program for aspiring young classical singers. It was established in 1998 and offers training and performance opportunities. Many alumni singers are now pursuing operatic careers in Australia and overseas.