More information about our artists for upcoming concerts coming soon.

Guest Artists for this Season

Ye Jin Choi - cello

Cellist Ye Jin Choi grew up in Europe, predominantly in Prague where she was introduced to the cello. She began her studies at age 7 with Hana Kočí at the Jan Neruda Music Grammar School, along with Vladan Kočí at the Prague Conservatory. Only a year later, she received 3rd place in the Liezen International Cello Competition, Austria. Since then, she has been successful in numerous competitions, most notably being awarded the Absolute Winner of the Czech National Strings Competition (Celostátní Souteže ZUŠ ČR), alongside being named twice on the Commemorative List (Pametní List) for outstanding achievement by the Mayor of Prague.

From international concert halls such as Prague’s Rudolfinum and New York’s Lincoln Center to intimate private venues, Ye Jin is at home with audiences of all types, and has been part of the For Crying Out Loud Concert Series at Wigmore Hall—a series dedicated to babies and their parents. Additionally, she performed in masterclasses with renowned cellists and chamber musicians, such as Mischa Maisky and Menahem Pressler.

As an avid chamber musician, Ye Jin frequently collaborates with pianist Kevin Suherman, as the Orix Duo. The duo first came together playing the Brahms E minor Cello Sonata at the Royal Academy of Music, winning the Wilfrid Parry Prize for their performance and rapport. As past winners of the Delius Prize, the duo was invited by the Delius Society to perform in Cambridge and were praised for their interpretation of the Delius Cello Sonata. Ye Jin has also been part of various chamber ensembles, working with members of the Juilliard Quartet, Emerson Quartet, Rodney Friend, Joseph Kalichstein, and Joanna MacGregor.

Highlights on the orchestral platform include being part of Czech Philharmonic’s commemorative concert dedicated to the centenary of Czechoslovakia’s independence, conducted by Semyon Bychkov. As a member of the Academy Symphony Orchestra and the Juilliard Orchestra, she played under renowned conductors such as Edward Gardner, Fabio Luisi, Sir Mark Elder, Karina Canellakis, Alan Gilbert, and Gianandrea Noseda. Ye Jin has led the cello sections of Academy’s Manson Ensemble, London Young Sinfonia, and Resonate Chamber Orchestra. She was principal cellist of the Royal Academy Opera Orchestra for the opening of the Susie Sainsbury Theatre with the presence of HRH The Princess Royal and The Duchess of Gloucester.

Though a native of South Korea, Ye Jin relates herself as a ‘Third Culture Child’, having grown up in different cultures and countries other than her own. Inspired by this, she specialised in cello repertoire influenced by various folk and national themes for her Professional Diploma degree at the Royal Academy of Music, focusing on composers such as Janáček, Ginastera, Gershwin, and Martinů.

Ye Jin also obtained her Master of Arts degree at the Academy under the Alec Rowley Memorial Trust Award, as a student of Christoph Richter. Graduating with a first-class distinction, she was awarded a DipRAM (Diploma of the Royal Academy of Music) for an outstanding final recital. She previously studied with Timothy Eddy at The Juilliard School, where she obtained her Bachelor of Music degree, supported by the Stonzek Memorial Scholarship. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Music Performance at the University of Melbourne, exploring the performance practice of Bohuslav Martinů’s cello sonatas.

Ye Jin currently plays on a Czech cello by Miroslav Komár (Prague 2008), but has also had the pleasure of playing on a cello by Giovanni Battista Rogeri (Brescia c. 1690) loaned by the Academy.

yejinchoicello.com

Orix Duo - cello & piano

Cellist Ye Jin Choi and pianist Kevin Suherman first collaborated playing the Brahms E minor Cello Sonata at the Royal Academy of Music, winning the Wilfrid Parry Prize for their performance and rapport. As 2018 winners of the Delius Prize, the Orix Duo was invited by the Delius Society to perform in Cambridge and were praised for their interpretation of the Delius Cello Sonata. Additionally, the duo was part of the For Crying Out Loud! Concert Series at Wigmore Hall, a series dedicated to young children and their parents; and the Bloomsbury Festival’s New Wave Lunchtime Concert Series, performing a programme inspired by the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing. The duo has worked closely with distinguished musicians such as Christoph Richter, Adrian Brendel, Michael Dussek and Joanna MacGregor.
https://www.facebook.com/orixduo
https://www.orix-duo.com/

Michael Petruccelli - tenor

Recognised as having a voice of “smooth, velvety quality”, and possessing a tone of “heroic light radiance”, Michael Petruccelli is an Australian, international operatic tenor.

A graduate of The University of Melbourne, Michael began his career as a Developing Artist with Victorian Opera and the Melba Opera Trust as recipient of RJ and AF Hamer Opera Scholarship.

Following his studies, Michael has performed with most of Australia’s leading opera companies. For Opera Australia: Stephen Goldring in the critically acclaimed production of Sydney Opera House, The Opera (The Eighth Wonder); Pedro in Two Weddings, One Bride; Goro in the touring production of Madama Butterfly; and he covered the role of Edrisi in Szymanowski's King Roger. For Victorian Opera: Arturo Ravenclaw in Lucia di Lammermoor; Beppe in I Pagliacci; Der Minister in Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse and Koki in Deborah Cheetham’s opera Parrwang Lifts the Sky. For Pinchgut Opera: Jason in Charpentier’s Médée and Aquilio in Vivaldi’s Farnace. For West Australian Opera: Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville. And for State Opera South Australia: Le Mesurier in Voss.

2018 was a momentous year for Michael as he relocated to Frankfurt am Main, Germany to take up a position as a member of Oper Frankfurt’s prestigious Opera Studio. As a member of the Oper Frankfurt Opera Studio throughout seasons 2018/19 and 2019/20, Michael performed the mainstage roles of Ein Italienischer Saenger in Strauss’ Capriccio, Ein Offizier in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Don Basilio and Don Curzio in Mozart’s La Nozze di Figaro, The Gondolier in Rossini’s Otello, the Civil Servant in Martinů’s Julietta, The Young Seaman in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and Remendado in Barrie Kosky’s celebrated production of Carmen he was also a tenor soloist for the Würzburg Mozart Festival.

Michael has been enjoying a busy 2023. This year he has performed: the role of The Cartographer in Mary Finsterer’s new opera Antarctica for the 2023 Sydney Festival (which premiered in the 75th Holland Festival in Amsterdam last year), Koki for Short Black Opera’s performances of Parrwang Lifts the Sky, Monsier Taupe in Strauss’ Capriccio under the baton of Simone Young for Victorian Opera, Silvio and Le Jeu in Pinchgut Opera’s Pleasures of Versailles, as tenor soloist in Britten’s Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and has performed a recital with Coady Green-Smith at St Patrick’s Cathedral. He also covered the role of Froh in Das Rheingold which was part of Melbourne Opera’s Bendigo Ring Cycle. Michael will finish the year appearing as several roles in in Richard Mill’s newest Opera Galileo, again for Victorian Opera.

Michael also enjoys collaborating in recital with various pianists and chamber groups. In Australia he has performed recitals for Renaissance Tours, Music by the Springs, Melba Opera Trust, the Robert Stolz Viennese Music Society, the RACV Club Melbourne, the Kelvin Club, the Melbourne Club, the Australian Club, the Lieder Society of Victoria, the Ardent Crescent Concert Series, the Team of Pianists and at St Patrick’s Cathedral. While in Germany he performed: regular “Intermezzo Lunchtime Recitals” in the foyer of the Oper Frankfurt opera house and a recital for the Frankfurt Museums Salon with acclaimed international repetiteur, Felice Venanzoni.

Michael has also had much success in local and international competitions. Most recently, he was a finalist in the 2023 Sydney International Song Prize. He was a recipient of the inaugural 2021 Honour Sambrook Alumni Grant through the Melba Opera Trust and was runner up in the Opera & Classical category for the 2020 IFAC Handa Online Australian and International Singing Competition. Michael has also been a finalist in the Herald Sun Aria and the Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship, he placed second in the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria and was a prize winner in the 3rd International Ljuba Welitsch Singing Competition in Vienna.

Sally-Anne Russell - mezzo-soprano

Internationally acclaimed Mezzo Soprano Sally-Anne Russell has performed in twenty five countries in more than 80 operatic roles and has recorded 40 CDs / DVDs with the ABC Classics, CHANDOS, NAXOS, Toccata and DECCA labels. Her awards include an ARIA for Pergolesi Stabat Mater with Sara Macliver and nominations for Young Australian of the Year, Young Achiever of the Year, Green Room and Helpmann Awards. A prolific exponent of early and Baroque repertoire her Handel operas include Alcina, Julius Caesar, Semele, Xerses as well as 30 additional principal roles, all for Opera Australia. On the concert platform over 190 performances of Messiah, all Haydn Masses, all Bach Passions and Cantatas. Handel oratorios: Judas Maccabeus, Joshua, Solomon, Esther, Theodora, Hercules, Dixit Dominus, Belshazzar, Israel in Egypt, Jeptha and Lucretia in Japan, USA, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Australia. Other works range from the operas of Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Purcell and Mozart through to Adams' Nixon In China , Carmen and many of the Rossini heroines such as the title role Cenerentola, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Isabella inL’Italiana in Algeri.

Sally-Anne has performed with all the Australian Opera Companies and Symphony Orchestras, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian String Quartet, Musica Viva and with all the major Festivals; international highlights with Washington National Opera (DC), Spoleto Festival (Italy), Oper der Stadt Köln and a 10-year association as resident Alto Soloist with the Carmel Bach Festival in California. Recent highlights include recording with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and Soundz New Zealand, an Australian tour for Victorian Opera / Musica Viva of Voyage to the Moon, concerts with Sumi Jo and with Melbourne, Sydney, West Australian, Tasmanian, Auckland, Christchurch and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras, Dido in Dido and Aeneas, Rossini Stabat Mater, Beethoven Mass in C, Carmen and Romeo and Juliet with Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Messiah with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and concerts throughout Germany and Austria.

2021 and 2022 Engagements include Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Adelaide Festival, Mahler Das Lied von der Erde for Canberra International Festival, Händel’s Messiah with Melbourne Symphony, Elektra for Victorian Opera, Die Walküre for Melbourne Opera, Bradamante in Alcina for National Opera in Canberra. St Matthew Passion for Melbourne Bach Choir, Mozart Requiem for Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Beethovens Ah! Perfido for Victoria Chorale and the Fidelio Quartet, Jewel of the City - Music of Dresden for Adelaide Baroque Orchestra, The Tchaikovsky Project - Sean Peter Ross /Moscow Cantata for Royal Melbourne Philharmonic, Beethoven 9 for Adelaide Symphony and Auckland Philharmonia in NZ. Recordings with Hoang Pham of Noel Fidge’s The Browning Song Cycle, recitals in Tasmania and Melbourne and Dido both in Sydney and for the Albury Chamber Music Festival.

Sally-Anne is a member of the Kathaumixw Festival International Artistic Council in Canada, the Belvedere International Singing Competition in Vienna and is co-artistic director the Albury Chamber Music Festival. Sally-Anne is proudly sponsored by the Bee Family Foundation. She is a long time collaborator with both Darryl Coote and the Team of Pianists and is thrilled to be performing with them again at the beautiful historic house Labassa!