Past Editions:

2025

The 2025 edition featured a festival-high five concerts and celebrated five different partnerships. These included ‘After Romance’ with Voxalis, featuring Morgan Pearse, Aylish Ryan and Reuben Tsang, AD Alexandra Flood and Sholto Kynoch’s ‘Love and Life at the Southern Cross Soloist’s Tambourine Mountain Chamber Music Festival, a Philippine song evening with local artists Kevin Gomez, Maria Sherla Najera and Jennifer Enchelmaier, as well as the annual masterclass presentation concert. Our flagship event was Benjamin Appl’s remarkable Australian-premiere performance of Jörg Widmann’s Schumannliebe at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in partnership with Ensemble Q.

Alongside these wonderful concerts, 12 local singers and pianists engaged in a 10-day masterclass series, learning everything there is to know about art song interpretation, presentation and performance. Lead by Benjamin Apple and Sholto Kynoch, the students took a deep dive into the world of Robert Schumann, with a particular focus on Dicterliebe. Alongside the musical training, the students benefitted from career workshops, historical lecture presentations, poetry workshops and much more.

A woman singing in front of a grand piano with a man playing the piano on stage with a black background.
Group of five people standing on a wooden stage, dressed in formal attire, smiling and posing for a photo.
Four people standing together on a wooden stage, smiling for the camera, against a black curtain backdrop. The group includes three men and one woman, dressed in formal and semi-formal attire.
Three people standing together on a wooden floor against a black backdrop, smiling at the camera. The man on the left is wearing a black shirt and pants with loafers, the woman in the middle is wearing a black dress with white polka dots and high hee
Three people on stage, two men and one woman, dressed in formal attire, with the woman receiving applause.
Group of young adults in formal attire standing on stage with black background, smiling.
Group of young performers and two adults posing on stage with a black curtain backdrop.
Group of ten people dressed formally standing on a wooden floor in front of a dark background.
Group of nine people standing on stage with a dark background, dressed in formal and semi-formal attire, smiling at the camera.
A woman and a man in formal attire on a stage, with the man extending his hand towards the woman, next to a grand piano.
A male singer in a black tuxedo performs in front of a female pianist at a concert, with a grand piano on a wooden stage.
Young man in a tuxedo performing on stage with a grand piano in the background, with a woman playing the piano beside him.
A young man in a light gray suit and brown shoes standing on stage in front of a grand piano, possibly performing or giving a speech.
A man in a beige suit standing on stage in front of a black grand piano with a woman sitting at the piano, performing or practicing, against a black curtain background.
A woman with long, wavy brown hair, wearing a black outfit and pearl earrings, standing with her hands clasped, speaking or giving a speech in a dimly lit setting.
A man in a blue suit singing while a woman plays a grand piano on stage.
A woman in a long floral dress singing on stage while a man plays a grand piano
A woman in a pink floral dress playing a grand piano on a stage.
Young man with curly hair in a suit, smiling at the camera, standing indoors with a dark wooden background.
A woman with long dark brown hair, blue eyes, and pink lipstick smiling, wearing a black dress with white polka dots and red nail polish, standing indoors.
A man with a beard and dark hair wearing a dark blazer and light blue shirt, looking directly at the camera with a slight smile.
A woman in a pink floral dress playing a grand piano on a wooden stage.
A young woman in a floral dress playing a grand piano on stage, with a man in a black suit singing beside her, in a concert hall setting.

2024

Star Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg and esteemed art song pianist Nico de Villers headlined the 2024 festival, leading the duos in four intensive masterclass days across both campuses.

Siobhan and Nico wowed local audiences with their stunning recital ‘echoed Voices’, which they had been touring around the country. This glorious evening featured works by the neglected dutch composer Richard Hageman, and was a highlight of the Brisbane cultural calendar. As in every year, the student duos sparkled in their masterclass presentation concert, attended by our masterclass faculty and many community members.

Two women are standing and talking near a grand piano, while a man stands to the side listening at a music rehearsal or performance, in a room with black curtains and wood accents. Several audience members are visible in the foreground.
A couple hugging closely, possibly on stage, with a piano in the background.
A woman in a bright pink dress singing passionately with her hand on her chest, accompanied by a pianist and a man observing, on a stage with dark curtains.
A woman in an orange satin gown singing on stage with a pianist and another musician in the background.
A man in a black suit and a woman in a satin orange gown are standing hand in hand in front of a grand piano on stage, with a pianist in the background.
Man in black suit and glasses giving a speech or presentation in a room with dark curtains.
A woman in a pink dress performing as a singer at a concert with a pianist and a man standing beside her.
Audience members clapping and applauding inside a dark auditorium.
A musical performance on stage with a grand piano. A woman in a blazer is reading from a book, a girl is smiling at her, a man is standing, and a boy is seated at the piano. Audience members are seated in front. The setting is a room with wooden wall
Young woman singing on stage with a grand piano and a young man playing the piano in the background.
A panel discussion or interview with five people on stage, including a woman in a teal dress and black jacket, a woman in a gray suit holding a notepad, a man in a white shirt with glasses, and a musician sitting at a grand piano, with an audience in
A music class or rehearsal with a young man in a dark shirt standing near a grand piano, a teacher or conductor gesturing with his arm extended, and other students seated nearby, in a room with black curtains and wooden beams.
A woman stands at a grand piano on a stage while a man plays the piano. They are performing in front of an audience with black curtains behind them.
A woman singing at a piano during a rehearsal, with a conductor guiding her and another musician playing a piano in the background.
Group of people, both men and women, standing on a wooden floor in front of a black curtain, posing for a photo.

2023

In our first major edition, six singer-pianist duos were joined for an intensive week of masterclasses with visiting international faculty, Benjamin Appl and Sholto Kynoch. The students worked in detail on all things art song, with the series culminating in a presentation recital. The festival also featured several collaborations with local arts presenters, including ‘Cancion’ - a Spanish-language song evening featuring emerging local artists and presented in partnership with Voxalis. The highlight of the week was Benjamin and Sholto’s thrilling all-Schubert recital, which brought the house down.

Young woman with long brown hair, wearing a pink dress, standing in front of a black curtain, possibly on stage or in a theater, with hands clasped.
A woman in a pink dress and a man in a white shirt and black pants are performing a dance move, facing each other with their arms extended and hands pressed together, on a wooden floor with a blue curtain backdrop.
A woman with dark, wavy hair smiling on stage with a piano behind her.
A woman playing the piano on stage, smiling, with a black grand piano in a dimly lit setting.
A man singing passionately at a piano in a dimly lit performance setting.
A group of people sitting in a classroom or conference room, facing a large projection screen at the front. The room has black chairs and some tables, with a water bottle on one table. The screen displays a logo of a person with a backpack and some t
Three young men practicing a classical piano performance in a music hall. One is seated at a grand piano, while the other two stand nearby, one with a music stand, all engaged in the performance. A large organ is visible in the background.
A music rehearsal in a concert hall with three people: a man standing on the left, a man playing a piano, and a woman standing on the right. The hall features large pipe organ pipes in the background.
A woman singing while another woman plays the grand piano on a wooden stage in a performance hall.
A stage with a person singing or speaking and a pianist playing a grand piano. The stage has a wooden floor and a large screen or backdrop behind them.
A man with gray hair and a beard speaking to a group, with a speaker mounted on the wall behind him and signs on the wall.
A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, dressed in a black top and a white scarf with colorful floral patterns, smiling and engaging with a group of people in an indoor setting.
Two people sitting on chairs in a room with wooden walls and a large blank screen, engaged in conversation.
Two women sitting and talking in an auditorium or theatre with a wooden floor and blue curtains. One woman has dark hair and is wearing a black and beige outfit with a scarf; the other woman has light brown hair and is wearing a black floral dress, h
Two men stand on a stage in a music rehearsal or performance space, one is wearing a blazer and the other a denim jacket, with a grand piano nearby.
A pianist and a singer perform on a concert stage with a grand piano, in front of an audience.
Man in formal tuxedo standing in front of a grand piano on a stage with a music stand.
Two men engaged in conversation at a social event, one holding a champagne flute, in a lively, warmly lit indoor setting with other people mingling in the background.
A woman in a bright blue blazer and dark pants standing on a wooden stage, smiling near a grand piano and a music stand, with a black curtain in the background.
Two women smiling and holding glasses of champagne at a social gathering, with a colorful background and other people in the background.
Two musicians bow to the audience on a wooden stage with a grand piano in a concert hall.
Two men are hugging on stage in front of a grand piano, with an audience in the foreground.
Three people at a social gathering, two women and one man, smiling and holding glasses of champagne, in an indoor setting with modern decor and staircase in the background.
A man in formal attire, seated on a black leather piano bench, playing a grand Steinway & Sons piano on a wooden stage.
A group of people standing indoors, listening attentively, some holding drinks and personal items, with a neon sign and dark decor in the background.
A man handing a ring to a young woman in front of a grand piano and blue curtain
A young man playing the piano and a young woman singing or speaking on a stage in front of an audience, with a grand piano, blue curtain backdrop, and wooden floor.
A young woman in a pink dress and a young man in a suit standing on a stage next to a grand piano, engaged in conversation.
Two people, a man and a woman, standing in front of a blue curtain on a stage with a piano. The woman, wearing a floral dress, is speaking and gesturing with her hands. The man, dressed in a dark blazer and white shirt, is holding a piece of paper an
Two people at a piano, one is sitting and the other standing, looking at sheet music.
A young man standing and a man sitting at a grand piano during a performance or rehearsal in a music hall.
A pianist playing a grand piano and a singer performing on stage in front of an audience.
Two men in a music studio, one standing and making a gesture with his hand, the other sitting at a piano and smiling.
A man playing a grand piano and a woman standing next to the piano, holding a sheet of music, on a dark stage.
A group of people in a music rehearsal room with black curtains, a grand piano, and three men practicing or performing while the audience watches.
A man in a black tuxedo playing a black Steingarten grand piano on a dark stage.
A woman appears to be conducting a musical rehearsal or class, engaging with a man at a grand piano and a young boy seated at the piano, in a room with wooden beams and a black curtain.
A woman standing and speaking to an audience in a room with a black curtain background, a grand piano to her left, and people sitting and listening.
Five people standing on a stage bowing, with a wooden wall behind them and a grand piano to the right. The group includes three women and two men dressed in formal and colorful attire, with one woman holding a bouquet of flowers.
A woman with short curly hair wearing a colorful blouse stands next to a piano, smiling, with a man in the background.
Group of women laughing and talking in a casual setting, one woman wearing a colorful jacket, another with a brown leather jacket.
Three women engaged in conversation indoors, one smiling and wearing a black blazer, another with gray hair in a purple top, and a blonde woman with a ponytail.
Three people are standing and talking in a social setting, with a woman facing away from the camera and two men facing her, one of whom is smiling. They are indoors with blurred background and stairs visible behind them.
A group of people sitting and chatting at a round table during a social event with wood-paneled walls in the background.
A woman in a black floral dress standing in front of a grand piano, smiling with her hands clasped, in a wooden-finish room.
A man with wavy brown hair in a suit playing classical guitar on stage, with audience silhouettes in the foreground.
Group of 13 people, mostly young adults, standing on a stage with a dark curtain background, dressed in formal attire, posing for a photo.
A man in a black jacket standing on a stage with a grand piano behind him, facing a man in a suit, in front of dark blue curtains.
A man dressed in a black suit and white shirt standing in front of a grand piano on a stage with dark blue curtains.
A young man with brown curly hair playing a black grand piano in a wooden-paneled room.
Person raising hand in audience during a presentation in a theater with a blurred stage in the background.
A woman and a man are standing and talking in a music venue with a grand piano behind them. The woman is smiling and wearing a black dress with puffed sleeves, while the man is looking at her and wearing a dark blazer.
A woman stands on stage next to a music stand, singing or speaking, while another woman plays a grand piano on her left.
Group of 13 young adults dressed in formal attire, standing on a wooden stage with a dark curtain background, posing for a photo.
Two young men in formal attire, one in a beige blazer and the other in a blue blazer, performing on a stage with a grand piano. The man in the blue blazer is standing and appears focused, while the other is seated at the piano.
Group of young adults seated in a dark auditorium, watching a performance with smiles and expressions of enjoyment.
Two musicians bowing on stage after a performance, with a grand piano between them.
Group of men in formal attire smiling and shaking hands at an indoor event.
A woman singing at a concert with a man playing the grand piano.
A group of people, including children and adults, standing on a stage bowing to an audience in a theater or concert hall.
Two people playing a Steinway & Sons grand piano together, with their hands on the keys.

2022

In our inaugural year, the festival soft launched in a special one-day event, featuring a mini-masterclass, local performances, a panel discussion on the meaning of art song and a presentation on the vision of the festival and our mission moving forward.

Hosted at the Queensland Conservatorium, the event featured a wonderful presentation and masterclass lead by Roy Howat, performances by Lotte Betts-Dean and other local artists and a fascinating panel of local art song experts.

A woman playing a grand piano with a man singing next to her, in a concert hall setting.
Group of four young adults sitting and smiling in a classroom or lecture hall with wood-paneled walls.
A young man in a checkered shirt singing or performing on a stage in front of a blue curtain, with a grand piano beside him.
A woman receiving an award or recognition from an older man at a piano recital or concert hall, with another woman clapping in the background.
A young woman and an older man sharing a joyful moment on a stage with a grand piano and blue curtains in the background.
A man and a woman at a concert, the woman playing a grand piano and the man standing beside her.