Lumka (she/her) is a proud alumna of Atlantic Acting School Conservatory NYC (2019). During her time at Atlantic her credits included: Sabina/Reporter/Ensemble in The Skin of our Teeth by Thornton Wilder directed by  Raelle Myrick-Hodges and Meredith, Freefalling by Aurine Squire directed by James Katz.

 

As an ensemble Atlantic class of 2019 staged an ensemble led and produced Throughline Festival in which she played; Sally; Lie of the Mind by Sam Shepard directed by Wyatt Cohen, Honey; Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Edward Albee directed by Romain Mereau and Tanya; Love by Patricia Cornelius.

 

Most recently her work has included;  'Eikasia', a short film written and directed by Benjamin Weisner (2023) ‘Antique Heroes’ written and directed by Caroline McQuade (2021) and 'A lovely Place' written and directed by Jessica Di Costa (2023).

With over 20 years of teaching experience, Ben has helped many students achieve vocal freedom. Ben's own teachers include Eduardo Asquez, Andrew Field and Vernon Mackie, a pupil of Edgar Herbert-Caesari, the author of many books on singing.

 

Ben's students have achieved numerous exam, scholarship and competition successes, including recording contracts, entry into Sydney Conservatorium of Music, professional work with Opera Australia, musical theatre and film credits.

 

Ben taught at The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, and also had a private studio in London.

 

After overseeing The Australian Singing Competition, Ben wrote the ebook "Sing To Win" that outlines all the aspects of winning a singing competition. 

 

Ben has previously adjudicated for the Bathurst, Gladstone, National Eisteddfod, Northern Beaches, Ryde, and Wollongong Eisteddfods. 

Dr Leon de Bruin is Senior Lecturer in Music at the University of Melbourne, Conservatorium of Music, and co-ordinator of the Master of Music Performance Teaching degree (MMPT).

As ASME National Past President he is a staunch advocate for quality music education in Australia, and music teacher education world-wide, as an executive of ISME Instrumental and Vocal Teaching Commission. His research spans pedagogy, relationality, and musicpsychology, in music teaching practice and teacher training.

 

He has published over 80
articles, chapters, and edited books, including Musical Ecologies: Instrumental Music Ensembles around the World (Routledge); Revolutions in Music Education (Lexington) and
Guerrilla Music ( Lexington).

James Rushford is an Australian composer, performer, researcher and educator. Holding a Doctor of Musical Arts (Piano and Composition) from the California Institute of the Arts,
James has been active professionally for over 15 years as a performing musician and teacher.
 

Classically trained (with a personal emphasis on 20th and 21st century music in hisplaying), James teaches late beginner to advanced pupils, covering a diversity of repertoire
and technical methods.
 

As an educator, James has been on faculty at Monash University (2020), RMIT University (2012-2014) and California Institute of the Arts (2014-2017), where he coordinated
undergraduate and graduate composition programs.

Luke Alleva began his musical theatre career in Man of La Mancha as Juan, Brains in Get
Happy, Cliff in We Will Rock You (Australian)

 

West End credits: We Will Rock You,
Saturday Night Fever, West End Rocks. Rocky Horror Show Australian tour, Scranton Slim
Guys and Dolls Australian tour, Mamma Mia, Young Danny Xanadu, Moonshadow the
musical as Dance Captain, A Chorus Line, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hot Shoe Shuffle
Australian tour and the role of Spring in Birdie prod Hot Shoe Shuffle Syd, Dirty Dancing
Immersive Cinema Luigi, role of Gene Kelly in Aus tour Gene & Judy, Manuel in Faulty
Towers tour & Eddie/Dr Scott in John X Presents Rocky Horror, Al Saxon in Dusty, Eddie Ryan in Funny Girl, Boy From Oz, 42nd Street, Little Me, Guys and Dolls, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Jimmy The Boy Friend.

Luke is Creative Director and Founder of Luca Entertainment Productions, co-produced
Gene Kelly the legacy Australian tour starring in his One Man show The Dancin' Man in
Australian theatres incl The Arts Centre Hamer Hall and Int Cruises Lines.
 

Choreographer / Director credits: Saturday Night Fever, Cabaret the musical Spiegel Tent,
Gene & Judy, 50’s Shake, Pippin, A Chorus Line, Futuration at Crown The Palms, Close To You; Different Things Films, Starbound, Give My Regards to Broadway, Dance Fitness on Broadway, Tis The Season, Fr Bob’s We need A Little Christmas Fed Square, Carols by Candle Light Channel 9 Daryl Somers.

Film credits: Montmartre Team lead dancers in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge, Dein Perry’s
Bootmen, Tom Usher in Gallipoli From Above, The Divorce ABC.
 

TV credits: Always Greener, AGT, Paul O’Grady Show Uk, Kerrie Anne, Countdown, Sunrise,
Sydney Opening & Closing Olympic Games.

Narelle Potter is an Advanced ACF Calisthenics Adjudicator , level 2 Coach, and seminar presenter with 50 plus years involvement with Calisthenics.

 

Narelle is an Australian and Royal South Street winner of the Graceful Girl title, National and State winning performer and coach, of soloists and teams. Narelle is a Gold Medalist, recipient of The Australian Sports Medal, Calisthenics Victoria Ambassador, and Australian Calisthenics Federation Coach of the year Award. Narelle is a passionate Adjudicator with a great desire to give effective feedback to coaches and performers in pursuit of excellence in Calisthenics. 

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She is a Pilates Practitioner of 30 years experience with a specialty in rehabilitation and dance Medicine. Narelle enjoys traveling around Australia adjudicating, mentoring coaches assisting performers and running all types of related workshops. She is very excited for her appointment adjudicating and running the calisthenics workshop at The Mildura Eisteddfod. 

Danielle Matthews is an Australian singer, musical theatre and cabaret artist who resides in Melbourne.

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Matthews attended McKinnon Secondary College then studied Musical Theatre at The Victorian College of the Arts.

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In 2009 Matthews became the inaugural winner of the prestigious Rob Guest Endowment Award and

is best known for her portrayal of Shirley Bassey in the musical biopic Danielle Matthews sings The Songs of Shirley Bassey.

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Other theatre credits include Showboat, Respect The Musical, Motor-mouth Loves Suck-face, An Evening with Stephen Sondheim, Respect the Musical (Australia Tour) and TRIBE (Anthony Crowley).

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Danielle has featured in various concert and TV Performances including Carols by Candlelight at the Myer Music Bowl, The Art Centre's Morning Melodies, The Helpmann Awards, The Circle, Good Morning Australia, Mornings with Kerri Anne and the Today Show.

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Danielle has performed the Australian national anthem at the MCG for the opening of one day cricket test series and in 2013 recorded her debut album ‘Dream Song‘[5] with Move Records.  More recently, she recorded La Belle Epoque for the in-game soundtrack to one of the world's most popular video game series – Assassin's Creed Unity.

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Danielle performs and works closely with Opera singer/ choral conductor and Australian of the year Dr Jonathon Welch and is the Current Vice President of The Choir of Hard Knocks.

One of Australia’s leading show choir directors, Adam founded the first of his choirs, the Divine Divas of Sunbury in 2007. He has enjoyed an illustrious career as concert pianist, chamber musician and accompanist. He has performed as recitalist throughout Australia, USA, Europe, Taiwan, Korea, China, Japan and New Zealand.

 

Adam was Musical Director, pianist and vocalist with renowned cabaret group ‘Pot-Pourri’ for10 years, undertaking more than 15 overseas concert tours with the 5-piece group. Adam’s dedication and service to the Hume community has been acknowledged through being named ‘Hume Citizen of the Year’ in 2009, as well as being a National Finalist in the2009 Herald Sun ‘Pride of Australia’ medal for services to the community.

 

During Adam’s competitive career, he amassed over 200 prizes in Eisteddfods throughout Australia, including the City of Sydney Eisteddfod Piano Scholarship. He was also a finalist in the Stravinsky International Piano Competition for Young Artists in Illinois, USA in 1990 and 4th prizewinner in the Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists in Germany, 1991. Adam is also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Study Grant and is a Churchill Fellow. He also studied on full scholarship at London’s Royal Academy of Music from 1992-1996.

 

He has performed in master classes conducted by Andras Schiff, John Lill, Peter Donahue, Alfred Brendel, Pascal Roge and Imogen Cooper.

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In 2019 Adam became Co Artistic Director of the award winning Choir of Hard Knocks.