Amir Farid
Principal Accompanist, The Australian Children’s Choir
The Australian Children’s Choir is fortunate to have as its Principal Accompanist one of Australia’s finest pianists, Amir Farid.
Winner of the 2006 Australian National Piano Award, pianist Amir Farid has been described as “a highly creative musician – a pianist of great intelligence and integrity. He brings strong musical substance to all that he does, imbuing it with his own particular experience and understanding”, and who “in a well-populated field… distinguishes himself for all the right reasons.
In 2004 Amir completed his Bachelor of Music degree (Honours) at the University of Melbourne under the guidance of Ronald Farren-Price, and later attended the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM), studying with Rita Reichman, Geoffrey Tozer and Timothy Young. In 2009, he graduated with distinction as a Scholar supported by the Gordon Calway Stone Memorial Award at the Royal College of Music London, studying with Andrew Ball. Throughout his studies, Amir has participated in masterclasses and lessons with some of the world’s leading piano teachers, including Michele Campanella, Aquiles Delle Vigne, Nikolai Demidenko, Christopher Elton, Cord Garben, Gordon Fergus-Thompson, Mark Gasser, Angela Hewitt, Ian Holtham, Leslie Howard, Julian Jacobson, Geoffrey Lancaster, Stephen McIntyre, Malcolm Martineau, Dominique Merlet, Hamish Milne, Lisa Moore, Ian Munro, Adrian Oetiker, Max Olding, Bart van Oort, Christina Ortiz, John Perry, Geoffrey Saba, Natasha Vlassenko, Frank Wibaut, Gerard Willems,Oxana Yablonskaya and John York.
He has performed concerti with the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Melbourne Youth Orchestra and the Orchestra of Australian National Academy of Music, including Rachmaninoff’s 2nd Piano Concerto at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, in front of a capacity 13,000 strong crowd. Other solo competition successes include winning the 2005 Hephzibah Menuhin and 3MBS Performer of the Year awards, and category finalist in the 2008 Royal Overseas League Music Competition in London, where he was awarded an Australian Music Scholarship. In 2008 he was one of 2 musicians selected to represent Australia in the European Broadcasting Union’s New Talent Competition. Collaborations with conductors include Graham Abbott, Peter Bandy, Alexander Briger, Oleg Caetani, Brett Dean, Marko Letonja, Andrew Wailes and Benjamin Northey.
As a chamber musician, Amir is pianist of the acclaimed Benaud Trio (www.benaudtrio.com), winning the Piano Trio prize at the 2005 Australian Chamber Music Competition, and with whom he undertook a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. The trio have been musicians-in-residence at 3MBS FM.
As an accompanist of some distinction, he was winner of the prize for best pianist at the 2006 Mietta Song Recital award, and was winner of the 2007 Geoffrey Parsons Award. Collaborations as an associate artist have included cellists Alexander Baillie, Mats Lidstrom and Martin Loveday, saxophonist Claude Delangle, clarinetist Dong Jun-Mo, contralto Liane Keegan, pianist Max Olding, soprano Merlyn Quaife, the Tin Alley String Quartet and mezzo-soprano Pamela Turner.
Amir would like to acknowledge the support and generosity of the following organizations and individuals: Mr. Neville Arthur, the Australia Business Arts Foundation, the Australian Music Foundation, the Australian National Academy of Music, Mr. John Garran, Mrs. Lois Goodin, Mrs. Heather de Haes, the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, the Royal College of Music, The Swiss Global Artistic Foundation, the Tait Memorial Foundation, the Turnbull Family and the University of Melbourne.
Scott Copeman
Training Ensembles Conductor
A passionate educator and musician, Scott brings a wealth of experience to The Australian Children’s Choir. After studying composition with Anne Boyd, Ross Edwards and Peter Sculthorpe at the University of Sydney, Scott found himself far more engaged in the field of education. He has since directed innumerable school and youth choirs in Sydney and in 2007 took up at post at Craigmount High School in Scotland, UK.
Scott is a strong advocate for equality and opportunity for all children, and brings a strong sense of inclusivity to The Australian Children’s Choir. He also brings substantial vocal experience in a range of genres, having acted as musical director for a number of musical theatre productions in Sydney for Sydney Youth Musical Theatre, The Hills Co-op and Willoughby Musical Society. He has sung with the Pro Musica Choir at the University of Sydney and the Edinburgh Singers, one of Edinburgh’s most exciting choirs.
As a conductor, Scott has led the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra, The Occasional Performing Sinfonia, and several professional pit orchestras in Sydney. He gained a place in the Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program in 2005 and has enjoyed the thrill of conducting a children’s choir of over five hundred students, filling the Sydney Town Hall at the 2005 Celebration Concert. Scott recently participated in the Choral Conducting Summer School with ACCET in 2012.
As a piano student, Scott won the City of Sydney Performing Arts Challenge in 1994, and has since performed as an accompanist for countless music students. His strength lies in education, however, and his experience encompasses several tours of Europe and the UK.
Scott teaches piano at Preshil, and feels privileged to be enjoying his main job – stay-at-home Dad to his 22-month-old daughter, India.
Sarah Denholm
Training Ensembles Accompanist
Sarah Denholm BMus RNCM, P.G.Dip.Adv.Studies, M.Mus (perf) A.R.C.O.was born in Edinburgh, and started learning piano when she was six. In 1983 Sarah entered the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester where she studied both piano and organ, obtaining her Masters degree in piano accompaniment. During her college years, Sarah was a regular performer in the ‘Live Music Now!’ programme founded by the late Yehudi Menuhin to take music into the community, including special needs schools. She was also recognised as one of the Park Lane Young Performers of the Year, as part of a duo in the Purcell Room, London during their annual series. In 1994 Sarah moved to Melbourne, and has since been active as a freelance accompanist and chamber musician, with choir accompanying as one of her chosen specialities. She teaches part-time, and is an official accompanist for the Music Faculty at Melbourne University. She also performs in live radio broadcasts for 3MBS FM. Sarah is one of the founding members of the Ariel Ensemble and performs regularly with Stephen Robinson, principal oboe of Orchestra Victoria, and flautist Sylvie Leprohon. A tour to the UK, Canada and North America is being planned for 2011.
Sarah also teaches presentation skills programs for nervous speakers, both to companies and individuals, and incorporates her performance background into this work. Sarah has had an ongoing relationship with The Australian Children’s Choir as a relieving accompanist for the last few years, and in 2010 officialy became a member of the permanent staff of The ACC, in her role as regular Training Choir Accompanist.
Michelle Humphreys
Training Ensembles Accompanist
Michelle Humphreys B.Occ.Therapy (Hons) was born in South Gippsland, Michelle had an extremely musical childhood, spurred on by the early recognition of her piano abilities when awarded the highest mark nationally in her first grade piano exam! Throughout secondary school, Michelle went on to gain extensive ensemble experience from her studies of Clarinet and French Horn, touring with the Australian Children’s Wind Symphony in 1992–1993. Michelle commenced a Bachelor of Music at The University of Melbourne in 1997. Unfortunately, ongoing issues with RSI forced Michelle to leave her music studies at the end of 1998. Michelle went on to obtain a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Hons) from La Trobe University, and has since worked as an Occupational Therapist in a number of regional and metropolitan locations. Michelle continued to accompany AMEB exams, play at weddings and has enjoyed being a pianist at Croydon Hills Presbyterian Church for the past four years.
Since the birth of her first child three years ago, Michelle has experienced great joy in returning to her first love of music and is now pianist for the choral program at Good Shepherd Lutheran Primary School. In 2010 she has taken up a new role as Training Choir accompanist with The ACC’s junior training ensembles. Michelle is married to Paul, and they have two small children.
Trevor Maitland
Training Ensembles Conductor
Trevor Maitland graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2010 with Honors in Classical Voice. Whilst studying there he was a Melbourne Scholar and awarded the Murray Vagg and Grace Durling Scholarship.
Trevor has been active as a conductor in Melbourne since 2007 conducting the Liedertafel Arion, the Enmasse Vocal Ensemble, Union House Awards Orchestra and the Melbourne Youth Wind band. He has musically directed six productions in this time including the City of Angels, Urinetown and Nine.
As a performer Trevor is a full-time member of the Victorian Opera Chorus and premiered the role of Filbert in the world premiere of Stuart Greenbaum’s opera at the Malthouse Theatre. Trevor has sung with Orchestra Victoria and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
Angela Chiavaroli
Early development tutor
Angela joined the Australian Children’s Choir in 2011 as teacher and conductor of the Melody Choir and an early development specialist. She comes to the task as an experienced educator of over 20 years and an accomplished singer. In 2004-2005 Angela sang professionally with Opera Queensland in their productions of Carmen and La Boheme, whilst maintaining her daytime teaching positions. She graduated from the Melba Conservatorium-2003 after completing her Bachelor of Music, up grading her Associate Diploma of Opera from the Victorian College of the Arts. She has worked as a soloist and chorus member in many local productions. In 1999 she undertook vocal tuition in Milan Italy. Prior to her time with Opera Queensland she studied with Peter Mander. Her former teachers were Gary May and Nance Grant MBE.
As an experienced primary school music specialist Angela has taught in both Melbourne and Brisbane, in independent, private, catholic and state schools. She has also held posts as a classical voice teacher at Geelong Grammar and more recently at Balwyn High School. She was formerly a teacher/conductor with National Children’s Choir of Australia over several years. In 2003 Angela was a finalist at Warrnambool, Boroondara, Ringwood and Geelong Eisteddfods, finishing second at Geelong in 2003 winning the aggregate award. In more recent years she has continued her work as a teacher in both Performing Arts and individual Vocal tuition. Angela is also a keen dancer of Ballroom/Latin and Salsa.
