Pemulway

Julie Christiansen is well known for her compelling work with children's and youth choirs both in Australia and overseas, with her ensembles recognised for their joyful vitality and quality of tone.

Following studies in choral conducting at Queensland Conservatorium, Julie began Voices of Birralee in 1995 and continues to work with young people at all levels of experience in both school and community ensembles. 

Julie is a popular guest clinician regarding vocal/choral techniques and literature for children's choirs. She is regularly invited to conduct and present at choral festivals and educational workshops throughout Australia, including with Gondwana Choirs National Choral School. 

Julie has toured extensively nationally and internationally with Brisbane Birralee Voices, with recent tours representing Australia in Korea, England, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, as well as tours to Tasmania, Canberra, North Queensland and Adelaide. A highlight of her careers has included fulfilling a five year commitment with the Department of Veterans' Affairs to sing at World War One centenary services in France and Belgium.

Julie’s commitment to her work is driven by the vital role music plays, as a channel for developing responsible and caring young people. In 2006 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday honours list. 

International Guest Conductor

Canadian born tenor Robert Stewart is co-founder and conductor of the Exaudi Youth Choir. He began early studies in conducting with Dr Kevin Langford, renowned conductor of the Rotary Boys Choir. Robert was a voice student at Mount Allison University where he studied choral conducting with Carlton Elliot and choral literature with Dr Willis Noble. He received a Master of Music (Opera) from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and is also a graduate of the University of Toronto (Bachelor of Music in Performance; Advanced Certificate in Performance). As an undergraduate he studied orchestral conducting with Dwight Bennett and served as section leader and assistant to Dr Doreen Rao. He has also performed with some of the world’s foremost conductors including: Sir David Willcocks, Sir Philip Ledger, Dr Elmer Iseler, Dr Lydia Adams, Robert Spano, Marc Minkowski and Raymond Leppard.

As a performer Robert has twice been a finalist in the Mietta Song Recital Award and recently appeared in the New Zealand Opera’s production of Carmen. He also performs regularly at St John’s Southgate as part of their Bach cantata series including performances with Bach’s successor, Thomaskantor Christoph Biller. A former Vocal Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center he participated in masterclasses with Pierre Valet, Phyllis Curtin and Ernst Haefliger. While at Tanglewood, he performed Bach’s Selig ist der Mann with American Bach scholar Craig Smith and members of the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. Recent concerts have included appearances on ABC Classic FM, the Ruskin Hall Recital Series and the Melbourne Chorale.

Robert teaches at the University High School where he conducts the Cantabile and Chamber Choirs. He has served as choral conductor, voice teacher and French diction tutor at Monash University, the Melba Conservatorium and the Victorian College of the Arts. He also Robert is currently completing a Master of Teaching degree at the University of Melbourne- investigating boys’ participation in classroom singing programmes.

Lyn Williams is Australia's leading director of choirs for young people, having founded Sydney Children's Choir in 1989, the national children's choir Gondwana Voices in 1997 and the Gondwana National Indigenous Children’s Choir in 2008; as well as Gondwana Chorale, Gondwana Singers and Junior Gondwana. Her exceptional skill in working with young people is recognised internationally for its high artistic quality and ground-breaking innovation. Lyn has toured extensively with her choirs to Europe, Asia, North and Central America. 

In addition to her work with young people, Lyn Williams has been Music Director and Conductor for a number of major national events and conducted many major professional choirs and orchestras in Australia.  

In January 2004, Lyn was awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). Lyn is a Churchill Fellow and also a composer. In 2009 she won the APRA-Australian Music Centre Vocal / Choral Work of the Year.