John Saunders

John Saunders was born into a musical family, being given Piano instruction from his father Jack, from about age 3. John saw the light at about age 9 and started playing Brass, also taught by his father.

John found himself most comfortable behind a Euphonium, being named NSW Euphonium Champion 8 times and was National Champion in 1986 and 1988. He was also winner of the prestigious Ern Keller Competition, for Australian and New Zealand brass players in 1998. John gained his A.Mus.A and L.Mus.A on Euphonium in the late 1990’s.

John became a full-time member of the NSW Police Band in 1988. The NSW Police Band is a 30 piece professional Concert Band based in Sydney. He was privileged to be named Director of Music of the band in 2005, a position he holds to this day.

On Euphonium and Baritone John has been a member of every Australia Brass and National Australia Brass course since 1995.

John was a founder member of the Warringah Concert Brass, formed by his father Jack, in 1979, becoming Musical Director in 1999. This position gives John a chance to mentor many amateur musicians, of all standards, a responsibility he finds very important and rewarding.

John maintains his brass teaching across a wide range of ages and abilities. He has also recently expanded his activities into the world of adjudicating, having adjudicated at the Western Australian State Band and Solo Championships and The City of Sydney Eisteddfod Brass Solo and School Band sections.

Jason Luostarinen

Australian Bass Trombonist Jason Luostarinen began his studies in 1999. He studied his Bachelor of Music and Graduate Diploma of Music Studies (Performance) at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University in 2004 under the tuition of Tom Coyle. Upon completion, Jason moved to the Netherlands to study under Bass Trombonist of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Ben van Dijk. Whilst in Europe, Jason attended a number of Master Classes and festivals with Michel Becquet, Jorgen van Rijen, Doug Yeo, Phil Teele, Wycliffe Gordon and Brandt Attema just to name a few. Jason has performed with orchestras such as the RTE Concert Orchestra and Big Band (Dublin), Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra along with artist like Tim Minchin, James Morrison, Katie Noonan, The Whitlams and Evanescence. He has also performed in a number of Musical Theatre productions throughout Europe and Australia. Upon his return to Australia, Jason continued to perform with orchestras and chamber ensembles and was appointed as the Bass Trombonist of the NSW Police Band for many years. This broad range of work has given Jason the opportunity to gain a wide range of musically diverse experiences across many genres.

Alexandra Khafagi

Alexandra is currently the Director of Performing Arts at St Joseph’s Nudgee College, a role she relishes due to the opportunities to be involved in many and varied activities that allow boys to achieve balance in their lives.

Alex also conducts the String Ensemble and Philharmonia Orchestra and teaches double bass at the Young Conservatorium. This role has allowed her to participate in the State Honours Ensemble Program (SHEP) both in Brisbane and regional Queensland.

Although Alex graduated with a degree in the double bass, she plays and teaches many instruments, conducts and accompanies a range of ensembles, and teaches classroom music.

She is delighted to add the Sunshine Coast Eisteddfod to those she has adjudicated, which also include the Queensland Catholic Colleges Music Festival and the Brisbane Eisteddfod.

John Saunders

John Saunders was born into a musical family, being given Piano instruction from his father Jack, from about age 3. John saw the light at about age 9 and started playing Brass, also taught by his father.

John found himself most comfortable behind a Euphonium, being named NSW Euphonium Champion 8 times and was National Champion in 1986 and 1988. He was also winner of the prestigious Ern Keller Competition, for Australian and New Zealand brass players in 1998. John gained his A.Mus.A and L.Mus.A on Euphonium in the late 1990’s.

John became a full-time member of the NSW Police Band in 1988. The NSW Police Band is a 30 piece professional Concert Band based in Sydney. He was privileged to be named Director of Music of the band in 2005, a position he holds to this day.

On Euphonium and Baritone John has been a member of every Australia Brass and National Australia Brass course since 1995.

John was a founder member of the Warringah Concert Brass, formed by his father Jack, in 1979, becoming Musical Director in 1999. This position gives John a chance to mentor many amateur musicians, of all standards, a responsibility he finds very important and rewarding.

John maintains his brass teaching across a wide range of ages and abilities. He has also recently expanded his activities into the world of adjudicating, having adjudicated at the Western Australian State Band and Solo Championships and The City of Sydney Eisteddfod Brass Solo and School Band sections.

Ireni Utley

Ireni Utley is a Masters graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium in Opera Performance and Vocal Pedagogy. She has sung many principal roles with Victorian Opera and in Opera Queensland’s Chorus, nationally and internationally with Sirens of Song and Musica Viva, and as soloist in numerous oratorio and sacred works in and around Brisbane.

Ireni has been teaching for 20 years, including time at St Laurence’s College, Brisbane Girls Grammar School, St Stephens Cathedral, and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. She has also adjudicated Eistedfoddau and competitions in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, and run performance masterclasses at several schools around Brisbane.

Daniel Johnson

Pianist, Daniel Johnson, has been described by Yamaha Australia as "masterful and insightful", and his Chopin described as "stunning" and "a true pianist" by the late, internationally renowned concert pianist, Dr. Marilyn Meier. Born and raised in Mount Isa, Daniel began piano lessons locally with Pam Breen. After winning the Yamaha Keyboard Award for Queensland and the Yamaha Most Outstanding Performer of the year in 2000, he commenced studies at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music with Oleg Stepanov and Dr. Diane Selmon. He then continued studies at the School of Creative Arts, University of Southern Queensland with concert pianists Wendy Lorenz, Renate Turini, Dr. Marilyn Meier, and at the conclusion of his degree with Helen Smith. 

Daniel gives masterclasses, adjudicates, and examines for various piano competitions and eisteddfods across Australia. He has broadcast live recitals for the MBS network as part of the City Hall Recital Series in Brisbane and the New Sounds Recital Series at the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art. He has presented research papers for international conferences such as the Inaugural Messiaen International Conference and has been invited each year since 2009 to present research and perform at the World Piano Conference in Novi Sad, Serbia.

An advocate for Australian composers, Daniel has focused most of his academic research on the vocal, symphonic, and instrumental works of composer Miriam Hyde.  He has piano works dedicated to him by Australian composer, Phillip Wilcher (Pirouettes, 5 Nocturnes for Left Hand Alone), and has given world premieres of piano works composed for him by American composer, Forrest Starling (Nocturne for Piano). In 2022-23 he gives premiere performances of works by Australian composer Anthony Moles and performs the complete music for clarinet and piano by Miriam Hyde with clarinettist Catherine Motteram.

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Daniel serves as a councillor and mentor with the Queensland Music Teachers Association (QMTA) and is the director of The Artistry Labs: a private, audition-based studio for advanced musicians in Brisbane. He holds examination and performance diplomas from Trinity College (London), ABRSM, and the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) where he is also an examiner for piano, and a national/international examiner for Rockschool. He holds a Master of Music majoring in piano performance with distinction from the University of Queensland where he studied with Professor Max Olding. He currently lectures in theory and analysis at UQ where he is also a PhD candidate researching and performing the works of Miriam Hyde and Sergei Rachmaninoff. 

Ireni Utley

Ireni Utley is a Masters graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium in Opera Performance and Vocal Pedagogy. She has sung many principal roles with Victorian Opera and in Opera Queensland’s Chorus, nationally and internationally with Sirens of Song and Musica Viva, and as soloist in numerous oratorio and sacred works in and around Brisbane.

Ireni has been teaching for 20 years, including time at St Laurence’s College, Brisbane Girls Grammar School, St Stephens Cathedral, and the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. She has also adjudicated Eistedfoddau and competitions in Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, and run performance masterclasses at several schools around Brisbane.